Writer's Block

If someone were to ask Sage Madsen about her writing, she'd probably try changing the subject. It makes her uncomfortable. When it comes to her writing, Sage would rather you left that subject well alone, thank you very much. 

If Sage were theoretically writing this, she would feel the starting feelings of that uncomfortableness that was mentioned earlier. But Sage isn't here right now; she's taking a break and so let's continue before she comes back. 

Sage:

• likes to ramble in her writings and gives a little TMI
• is prone to deleting or erasing too much too soon
• worries that she doesn’t use big enough words
• doesn’t feel comfortable sharing her writing 

Now as awful as Sage feels about all these weaknesses, Sage needs to recognize that some of these weaknesses can also be considered strengths. If Sage were here, she might stomp her little foot down and demand that I take it back; her weaknesses can’t possibly be her strengths, can they? Sage is very demanding, but that’s a weakness we’re not here to discuss at the moment. 

Even though Sage may tend to go over the set word count allowed in her essays, details add depth and color to the story; and when you ask Sage to tell a story, you can expect there to be details. She will tell you the exact wordage of the text message she sent to Bobby last night, because to Sage, every little letter makes the story a little better. 

Whenever Sage writes, she doubts her words before most of them even make it past her fingertips. Before she can stop, there go the two paragraphs she had just spent an hour constructing. However, Sage realizes that the only way her writing is going to survive is if she is willing to sacrifice. Sometimes, giving up two paragraphs of complete fluff is what a writer has to do to make room for two sentences of strength.

Sage likes big words. What sensible girl doesn’t? But who wants to parade their ostentatious palaver around like a peacock? Sage might keep things simple, but simple is good sometimes. 

…Sage is back.

She feels extremely uncomfortable that I’m sharing all this with you. She’d rather bottle up all this

personal stuff and gently move it to a place where you’ll never find it.

Whatever she writes is real, and that is vulnerable. Sharing it with the world gives the world a chance to throw sticks and stones. It gives professors the chance to bleed all over with the dreaded red pen, ruining the crisp whiteness that comes hot off the press. 

But if Sage doesn’t choose to share what she writes, what she writes will never get any better. 

She might not like the idea, and she might fold her arms, jut out her lower lip and pout for a few hours… but eventually, she’s going to have to jump over that writer’s block and in the process, get over herself.