Hitting The New Book Wall

So I am writing a brand-new book on behalf of a CAD vendor. It's due the end of August. Until now, I've cheated, writing the easy parts first, the four appendices of reference information -- one a day. Some 55 pages. 

Friday, it was time to begin on Chapter 1. Brand-new book. With what words do I start. I sat in front of the computer. Major writer's block. I read all though the usual Web sites I visit each day -- CAD, general news, politics, religion, and the blogs. I napped until the phone rang. My wife took me for our walk. I sat in front of the computer. I contacted HP tech support to find out why the computer could burn DVDs but not CDs*. I lay out back on the hammock. 

And then it was time for supper. 

Afterward, my wife asked when I wanted to start watching Bella. "Not right away," I replied. It was only 6:20pm.

I sat in front of the computer. 60 minutes later, my fingers were tingling from pounding out 1,206 words for Chapter 1.

That's how it like for writers.

- - -

*) Ya, so the CD drive on my newish computer don't burn CDs. One of HP Total Care tech support's solutions is to download new firmware, burn the ISO file to a CD, and reboot the computer. I think that incident inspired me to write.

Comments

[Dennis Jeffrey]

Ralph,

I resemble that remark.. :) I have days where I write (unedited) up to 10,000 words using Dragon 10, and other days when I cannot write one.

When I feel down over it, I'm reminded of the Chevy Chase movie where he could not get past the title.

Here's some sound advice:

Ideally, a book would have no order to it, and the reader would have to discover his own. - Mark Twain

[Bill Fane]

Hmmm, and I always thought I was the only one who worked that way (or at least my wife does).

[Ralf Steck]

Hi Ralph,

same here. Today I should write an interview with Inneo for the German CAD CAM, but I find everytheng easier - proof is this comment here :-)

@Bill: My wife is also very upset when she sees how I work. The months when she was home because of the births of or children were the worst in my 13 years of freelancing :-)