I had a big burst of imagination about a week ago which led me to start writing not one, but two new books.  I have picked out the titles for both already and even created how I want the cover to look for another.

Within what seemed like mere minutes, I drafted up about eighty pages of one, then switched gears and started about fifteen pages of another.  Okay, maybe it took more than a few minutes, but time flew as I banged away at the keyboard.  Thoughts coming into my head faster than I could get them onto paper.  I felt like my arms were going to fly off of my body. 

It was not due to too much caffeine or any lifestyle changes.  I just had tons of ideas.

Then, nothing.  Like someone turned off a switch, I had nothing left to say.  I could not think of anything else to write in either book.  I could not even gather together thoughts long enough to formulate a creative sentence.  Similar to a car engine that does not start, I could not move forward. I wondered if I overworked my brain a bit, so I put away the computer and gave it a rest.

Still a week later, I have flashes of inspiration, only to find as I get out the keyboard, they go away.  Or better still, as I’m about to drift away in a much needed sleep, I’ll get zapped with an idea, go grab a pen and write it down.  It’s only a paragraph here and there, but I’m plugging along trying to formulate a whole page, where I could normally finish a page inside of five minutes.

I wonder if the lack of sleep due to trying to calm my three big chickens (otherwise known as canines) during the massive hail and thunderstorms we have had for the past two days or if writing two books at once slowed down the gears at all.

All I can say is I’ll take a break and hope for the best.  Usually that’s when the floodgates open once again.

Anyone else ever encounter this?

Elizabeth Parker

Author of Finally Home, Unwanted Dreams and Phobia