Is Writer's Block Real?

Is Writer's Block real?

Yes. I've seen it often enough in authors to know it's real, but it's often something we do to ourselves. 

Let me explain. We all have problems—some big and some small. Health, financial, relationships, grief—we all have the situations that affect our ability to live our best life.

How we deal with those problems and how fast we rebound back to "normal" determines our ability to work well, feel good, and be optimistic.

If you're a plumber and you have problems, chances are you still know how to unstop a drain or fix a leaking pipe, and you do it. It's not like that if your job depends on your creativity.

If you're an author, and you're beset with problems that affect you emotionally, your writing will suffer  as well as your physical health.

Unresolved and/or ongoing life problems can suck the creativity right out of you. Authors also have another factor that can shrivel their creativity. Acceptance or rejection by the public for a project someone has put his/her heart and soul into can affect your ability to keep going.

When a beginner starts out, it's soul-crushing to get bad reviews—even though you know it happens. Somehow you think it won't happen to you, but it does. Bad reviews make a writer doubt his/her story, characters, plot, how it's executed, etc.

Even someone who has published a dozen books and then has a book that's a big flop can begin to question previous successes. Maybe it was just a fluke. Self-confidence erodes. The worst thing someone can do in this situation is to procrastinate on writing. The more an author puts off getting back to writing, the worse the writer's block becomes.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

The cure for writer's block is found in the writing. Keep writing. Even if you think what you're writing is crap, keep at it. That's the way to defeat writer's block because it's too easy for a temporary block to become a permanent block. Have faith. Keep going.

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Review - Noises Off on Prime

If you're looking for a movie that will make you howl with laughter, you need to watch Noises Off, now streaming on Prime. 

If you're not a subscriber, you can rent it or even buy a copy of Noises Off on DVD from Amazon.

When you start the movie, it's mildly amusing. You'll wonder why critics described it as, "Screamingly funny."

Trust me. The setup is worth the payoff. The actors and the behind the scenes cast members including the director played by Michael Caine must be experienced because all of that  comes into play when things start to go hysterically wrong.

BLURB

Hired to direct an Americanized version of a British play, Lloyd Fellowes (Michael Caine) is beset with an eccentric group of egotistical, touchy-feely stage actors.

Rehearsals run smoothly, but when they take the play on the road, personalities lead to chaos. With every new town on their itinerary, things get completely out of control.

The cast of this off-Broadway play that wants to end up on Broadway consists of an actress past her prime (Carol Burnett), a handsome male lead with confidence issues (Christopher Reeve), a beautiful woman determined to hang in there (Marilu Henner), a jealous lover (John Ritter) and an over the hill actor with a drinking problem (Denholm Elliott). Julie Hagerty, Mark Linn-Baker, Nicolette Sheridan, and Louise Stratton are supporting actors who add to the fun. 

Released March 20, 1992, and directed by Peter Bogdanovich with Screenplay by Marty Kaplan, this was a Touchstone film based on the play, Noises Off, by the English playwright Michael Frayn. 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I don't know if this older movie has streamed anywhere before. I do know Noises Off is definitely worth watching.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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Monday Magic Free App for EV Owners

Today's App is what you need if you are thinking about buying an EV or you already own one.

PlugShare is a free app with a lot of features you'll love. Premiere among those is the ability to locate EV charging stations in advance.

Sure, you'll be doing most of the charging in your garage at home, but there will be occasions when you need to recharge when away from home.

The trip planner function will help you find the charging stations located along the route to and from your workplace. It's critical if you're planning a trip by car.

PlugShare Features

• Charging station map—Shown by location, plug type, charging speed, and amenities
• Trip planner—Mentioned above, this also has links to navigation apps
• Sense of Community—Connect with other EV owners and leave reviews to rate locations
• Notifications—Receive an alert when new chargers are installed in nearby locations 

The app is available for iOS, Android, and online, and it's free of course. Just signup for an account and list your vehicle. At some charging station, you can pay using the PlugShare app.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Free apps are good, but they're great when they offer a service that's needed. Happy trails, EV drivers.

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Sunday Thoughts - March

Spring is in the air here in Texas—beautiful blue skies, green grass growing, trees budding, and no annoying pollen yet.

Today is balmy. That's the best word to describe the warm day that makes being outside a delight.

There's a weather-related old saying about March.

"If March comes in like a lamb, it'll go out like a lion. If it comes in like a lion, it'll go oout llike a lamb."

Since we've had lovely weather the last few days, I fear we'll be getting the roaring lion kind of weather when the end of the month rolls around.

RANDOM THOUGHTS ABOUT MARCH

1. The month was named in honor of Mars, the Roman god of war.

2. In historic times, spring was when armies went back to war. The weather was much better for killing and pillaging.

3. Twitter launched on March 21, 2006 when Jack Dorsey, its founder, sent the first tweet.

4. March is the time of new beginnings because of the Spring Equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, this event takes place Thursday, March 20, at 4:01 AM CST.

5. On March 6, 1836, Texas settlers fought to the death on the last day of the Battle of the Alamo. The battle had lasted 13 days.

6. March is noted for St. Patrick's Day.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

March is usually a pivotal month in the year. Most people feel new energy to tackle new projects and challenges. Onward and upward.

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Saturday Share Recipe - Smothered Potatoes

 Today's Saturday Share Recipe is one you can make for virtually any mean—breakfast, lunch, dinner or that special combo of brunch.

Smothered Potatoes is a side dish that wants to be the star of the meal, and it can be with the addition of a couple of ingredients..

This dish may be what some of you call Country Fried Potatoes, but my Mom always called it Smothered Potatoes.

It's easy to make, delicious to eat, economical, and serves a bunch of hungry people. The great thing about this recipe is you can use only potatoes, salt, and pepper, and have a great side dish or fancy it up with onions and/or bell pepper.

Change the mild cooking oil for olive oil and add rosemary for an Italian taste. There are a lot of things you can do with this side dish. Change the seasoning to Mexican spices and add some poblano peppers with the bell peppers. The ideas are endless.

SMOTHERED POTATOES

Ingredients

1 medium to large sized potato for each adult

1 large onion, diced

1 large bell pepper, any color, diced

1 tablespoon of water

Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Mild Cooking Oil or lard if you're into that. (Olive Oil and Rosemary for an Italian spin.)

Cast iron skillet or other heavy frying pan of a size to accommodate the amount you cook.

Lid to cover the skillet.

Directions

1. Peel and dice the potatoes. The smaller the dice, the faster they'll cook so take that into account.

2. Dice the onion and use as much as you think is needed based on the amount of  potatoes.

3. Dice the bell pepper. Use as much as is needed based on the amount of  potatoes.

4. Pour enough cooking oil onto the bottom of the skillet to lightly coat it. Turn the heat on to warm up the oil.

5. Place the potatoes in the skillet and begin cooking at medium to high heat. You want it hot enough to get some browning on the potatoes but not so hot that they'll burn. Stir the potatoes around. 

6. When you see some lovely browning on the potatoes, scoot them over to one side of the skillet and add the onion and bell pepper. If you find the veggies are sticking, add another tablespoon of oil.

7. When the veggies begin getting some color on them, mix them in with the potatoes, add 1 tablespoon of water. Sprinkle the mixture with salt and black pepper.

8. Reduce the heat to low to medium and cover the skillet with a lid. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Should take about 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.

MAKE IT A MAIN DISH

It's easy to turn Smothered Potatoes into a main dish. 

Add eiither of these proteins to the potatoes: browned, seasoned ground beef or sliced smoked sausage.

If you went the Italian seasoning profile using olive oil and rosemary, add sauteed, crumbled mild Italian sausage, drained, to the potatoes.

By the way, some of you may not have an iron skillet. If you don't, you should invest in one because they're superb in cooking everything from Flat Iron Steak to cornbread. 

I have several in various sizes. I saw this 12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Iron Skillet on Amazon that was  on sale for $20.99.

(I don't know what pre-seasoned means in regard to a new skillet because I've probably had my skillets more years than most of you have been alive. LOL)

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I love cooking something that can be so versatile.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

Love to read? Sign up for my free Newsletter, I LOVE READING. Once a month, you'll receive exclusive content and news about giveaways, bargains, and new releases.

February Update 25 for 2025

Photo by Moose Photos, Pexels.com

I've had such a good month, and I feel safe to say that I'm getting back on the accomplishment track.

My 25 for 2025 Plan is working. I think I've made realistic steps to get ahead when for the last few years, I've been way behind.

You'll find a recap below of the first 3 items on my 25 for 2025 List and a very brief summary of the tasks and the results so far.

Some of the items on my list pertain to my writing career, but the concept of what makes achievement possible is applicable to anyone who's trying to achieve something. With that thought in mind, I've also offered a little advice of how you can apply the core idea to any situation.

#4 for 2025

Find out whether you're using your time effectively.

This coincides with #2 for 2025. Most people roll their eyes when they hear this, or they protest that they really don't have any free time to monitor because they have such a busy life. The truth is we all waste time. We claim we're too busy, too tired, or too stressed which is why we can't get that Thing We Really Want. We say we need to relax so we watch a movie. We say we're too stressed so we avoid doing anything that requires physical or mental effort.

Photo by Anna Shvets, Pexels.com

There's an easy way to find out if you're using time effectively. Keep a time journal for a few days—a week is even better.

I did this from the time I awoke in the morning until I crawled in bed at night.

I found I spent way too much time in the morning  drinking coffee and watching YouTube videos about what's going on in the country, gardening videos, arts and crafts videos, world history, and other subjects that interest me.

I was spending the hours between waking and noon in pursuits that educated me about subjects not germane to my writing rather than taking action on my writing projects. I wasted valuable time that put me even further behind on things I said I wanted to achieve.

It was usually 2:00PM every day before I tackled writing. By then, I'd lost the motivation so I had to force myself to go to my office. That meant, I was NOT having fun or enjoying the journey—and that meant I was emotionally tired, overwhelmed, and angry at myself. After dinner, I was exhausted from the emotional battle so I looked for relaxation at places like Netflix or in a book.

The next day, the cycle repeated itself. After a few days, it was easy to see I had become  my own worst enemy by creating a habit that did not serve me and what I wanted out of my career or my life.

If, like me, you are your own boss, you need to be a demanding boss. I ended my vicious time-wasting cycle by using my cell phone. I set a Monday through Friday alarm for 9:00AM.

When the alarm goes, off, I get up and go to my office, close the door, put on music, and do what I wrote in my Day Planner as my number 1 priority for the day. I set alarms for lunch, for back to the office afterwards, and for end of day.

This helps one get into the habit of taking action when it's time to take action. Action is the missing link if you're not achieving what you say you want. There's magic in taking target action.

RECAP OF 25 FOR 2025

#1 for 2025 - January 1 Post

Be realistic in setting goals, planning work, or writing resolutions.

I can't believe how much more I look forward to going to my office because I've scaled down my daily expectations of what I can achieve. Seriously, if you find yourself constantly feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and look at your expectations. Are they realistic?

#2 for 2025 - January 2 Post

Use a day planner to be accountable and to stay on task.

Again, I'm amazed at how much going back to this daily habit has increased my productivity. This is a profound key to accomplishment.

#3 for 2025 - January 31 Post

Update the file format on all my previously published ebooks.

This item requires ongoing work because it's a big project. With big projects, consistency of action and persistence are required.

I'm hanging in there and working each day on this. If you have a huge project, the important thing is to take action every day to get it done.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

We all have the same 24 hours given to us each day. How you spend those hours determines how your life will turn out. If you want an amazing life, then that means you must master your time rather than fritter it away and make excuses.

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Review - The Love Letter - An Unforgettable Romance

Oh, my goodness. I found one of my favorite movies of all time streaming free on YouTube. It's also available free on several other streaming services.

THE LOVE LETTER starring Campbell Scott and Jennifer Jason Leigh, a 1998 movie from Hallmark, has everything a great romance should have: a fascinating premise, unexpected love, great characters, good secondary characters, a surprising plot, and a twist ending.

I dare you to watch it and not cry, but take heart. There's another twist in store for the viewer. You may not expect it which makes it even better.

I love this movie so much that I looked it up on Amazon to see if it was available for purchase, and it is. The DVD is only $9.99. 

In fact, if you're a romantic, you'll probably watch it and then go buy it. It's simply so awesomely romantic and is a portrayal of what we all want love to be.

Darling Hubby is out of town so I'm going to watch it again this evening.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

The movie is everything a romance should be.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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