I need your help, writers! I am over half way finished with my second book on art history and

[CTyankee]

find myself with "writer's block," if that is what it is.

The death of my ex-husband (and father to my 3 kids) last week seems to have bottled up my energy and talent to finish my second book. I know what I want to say and can't work the words (highly unlike me).

How do you deal with it if this has happened to you? My now (and forever) second husband understands but finds me difficult to deal with lately.

Any of you have this type of thing happen when you are in the middle of writing?

[LuvLoogie]

1. Can you post two paragraphs of your first book...

And two draft paragraphs from your second book?

What topics the books cover.

I don't know your process, but does it include recording your voice in stream of consciousness? Maybe voice to text if you are at your computer.

Throw it down. Is it about specific artists? Styles/movements? Period/location?

[CTyankee]

2. Here

Here is the last paragraph I have written:

Chagall had agreed to create this ceiling at the request of Andre Malraux, France’s Minister of Culture at the time. But almost immediately, the choice of artist became highly controversial. Chagall, a Russian Jew who, with his wife, escaped almost certain death after his town in Belarus was under Nazi control. Chagall was living and working in Paris. Despite his heroic story of survival and his love for the country that took him in, there were strong objections to his working on the Paris-treasured Garnier.

[niyad]

4. Not sure that I have any help to offer on writer's block (or possibly sadness?), but a

couple of editorial points: your third sentence reads as if incomplete or awkward. Maybe "Chagall was a Russian Jew. . ."? And perhaps begin at least one more sentence with something other than his name?

I can only imagine how difficult this time is for you, so please do be gentle with yourself. We are all looking forward to this next book. Perhaps you could try writing something completely different-somthing funny or outrageous or completely off the wall? Rather like a mental laxative.

Just remember that your DU family is here for you.

[LuvLoogie]

5. Get the ideas down, then go back later on and apply the fundamentals when ready. In the mean time...

some change of pace physical activity might help. Or write some poems or letters.

Then you can expand upon the ideas in your paragraph.


Set up:
Andre Malraux, France’s Minister of Culture at the time, asked Chagall to create this ceiling. He accepted, but there were strong objections to his working on the Paris-treasured Garnier. Almost immediately, the choice of artist became highly controversial.

Background:

Chagall, A Russian Jew, had been living and working in Paris for years. The Nazis had taken control of his town in Belarus, yet he managed to flee with his wife, escaping almost certain death. (details)

Explanation of controversy:

Despite his story of survival and his love for the country that took him in...

e.g. "... some in France made him feel like a refugee again."

[CTyankee]

7. Do you know this story? Love your point of view but not sure about your last statement. I don't

think he equated how the Nazis made him feel with what the French were doing. Not to say that there was no anti-semitism in France, there was and that fed into this situation but they weren't Nazis.

Thank you for your helpful words. I want to make my readers fall in love with the works of art that convey music, which artists have tried to do for ages!

[LuvLoogie]

9. I don't know the story. I tried to limit edits

to what was in your paragraph. I did a quick check on time line.

It's more of a structural edit, not really positing a conclusion but a possible path into the next idea. I don't really know whether or not the controversy was in any part due to anti-semitism as opposed to Chagall's level of "Frenchness" or his general, contemporaneous style. The painted panels was a good idea.

You have piqued my interest, though.
LOL

[CTyankee]

10. Oh, good! My goal at this point in my life is to help people love art as much as I do.

There are folks who shy away from art museums and think it is something they themselves cannot love or understand. Art critics love to throw around words like contraposto. I like to explain it simply because, IMO, it turns folks off. Not all critics. Peter Scheldahl is the art critic for the Newyorker magazine. He writes beautifully and not only is he not your typical critic; he never got a college degree. But I read him for his insights which are fresh and true.

[LuvLoogie]

11. On a tangent, here are a couple of videos

of computer animation/media editing as musical-visual art. Kind of mesmerizing.

[Tomconroy]

3. All I know is that my wife, who has published

About ten books, is in front of the computer for ten or more hours a day, every day. Maybe if you sit there, something eventually comes out

[Midnight Writer]

6. Long walks alone. Seems to stir my imagination.

[CTyankee]

8. I take inspiration from the music itself. On youtube I have discovered wonderful orchestral and

sacred music choirs. I find they stir me immensely. A black choir singing "Take my hand, precious lord" just brings happy tears to my eyes. I can get lost in that music (and I am not religious).

[SeeingEyeRefugee]

12. I agree. What do you consider a long walk?

For me, five miles just starts to clear my mind...ten miles and I become too tired.