Friday, May 24, 2013

My Creative Non-fiction: Molded by Music or Just Moldy?

Yesterday I was sorting through some of my posts from the past nine months to see if there was anything worthy (in my eyes) of being included on my creative non-fiction tab. That’s where posts live that I think are the best I’ve written for this blog. While sorting I found that, not only in May but many times in the past I’ve written posts inspired by the music that shaped my life.

Not a huge shocker I suppose. For me, writing and music have almost always been a happy couple. When I started writing back in the day I sometimes had the boom box blaring. I’d fling myself face down on my bed and scribble blue ink into a journal for pages and pages. Only pausing long enough to flip the cassette. Now I find it hard to write to music when I’m working on fiction. But I don’t usually have trouble when I’m writing up creative non-fiction for my blog.

Creative non-fiction is just that - artistically treated stories about things that actually happened to me. I sometimes enjoy writing about times in my past; when a memory hits me just right. Music always manages to conjure up some kind of memory. Whether I want to tell the story is another story.

After finding a few decently written posts yesterday, that are now freshly linked, you’d think I could come up with something fantastic for today. But I’m at a complete loss. The song is a good one, I love the Foos, but I have no memory connected to the song or the album.

I’ve never seen the band live (which is a downright travesty if you ask me). And I’m struggling to think of a time we might have listened to this song on a road trip or something more fun than just having it play on CD while going to and from the grocery store. But I got nothin’.

So of course my first thought is that I’m out of words again. That happens periodically where I just use them all up and have to refill before I can put anything of value out there again. That happening is never my first choice, I hate the pendulum swing of writing 15-26 posts a month and then crashing back to like 3 or 4. But sometimes it transpires and I just have to go with it.

There are three posts that will go up to close out May’s Month of Music next week and then I’ll likely be taking a break from blogging three times a week.

Or maybe not. Guess I’ll just have to wait and see if inspiration hits and write when it does.

I liked the challenges to keep me writing the past two months but, just like the song title, my brain feels like it’s tumbling right now trying to be witty and creative in this space so maybe it’s time to focus on other projects for a while.

May’s Month of Music
End Over End – Foo Fighters (Pandora first track)

12 comments:

Launna said...

I know what you mean Jenn, sometimes I will be writing and thing... darn this is boring, I don't have anything interesting to say... For me though I keep going because I need to write to release things.

You know I will read whenever you post, I'll tweet you from time to time :)

Joan said...

I love your words, 'have to refill". Life is like that, right?!

Almost Precious said...

Some people can stick to a schedule but I'm not one of them. I've seen blogs that keep things current with Motivational Monday, Tickle me Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Flashback Friday etc. but a part of me knows that just not my style. Forcing myself to adhere to such a regime would be tantamount to lacing me up in a straightjacket and locking me inside a little padded cell.

Lately I'm just going with the flow, if I go to blogger and my mind goes blank, I don't force it - that sort of explains why I was MIA for several weeks.

Rob-bear said...

Creative non-fiction is a well-told story.

Blessings and Bear hugs!
Bears Noting
Life in the Urban Forest (poetry)

Suldog said...

If you'd like an idea for writing something, I'll give you one. I wrote a post a while back wherein I just listed every concert I could remember attending. It's a decent exercise in memory for someone my advanced age, and especially for someone who enjoyed so many drugs while attending said concerts.

As a matter of fact, I just now went and checked that post, and you wrote a fairly long comment on it. Maybe you could use that as your jumping off point?

http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com/2011/04/are-you-ready-to-boogie.html

Jak said...

Hmm I find this interesting. I ind music to be very inspirational to my fiction writing. I suppose for my non-fiction too. I have different playlists on my Spotify for each occasion.

I recall you saying that was the tab recommended for me to check out, so I will do so!

Can't lie, the challenges help a lot with blogging. More so the one I did with specific prompts. There was a July one, but I'd never get caught up if I joined another daily blog. I did, however, join a "Thankful" blog hop on Saturdays. I'm trying not to have that be my only weekly entry. So far so good. There is a Tue Music blog hop too, but it wasn't exactly what I expected, but plan to give it a try soon.

It seemed like you had a pretty good set up/layout for your recent postings. I hope your pendulum swings back asap!

Unfortunately, I've never been able to see Foo Fighters either. :(

Jak at The Cryton Chronicles & Dreams in the Shade of Ink

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

Thanks so much! I love to still get out and read blogs and converse with all of you friends out there in the bloggyverse. Makes me feel less lonely in this one woman gig I have going on!

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

Definitely is for me, at times I just know it's all been spent!

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

When i was doing the month challenges and stuff I liked the rigidity but when you set me out there to fend for myself I tend to waiver in my dedication at times. I couldn't do daily themes like that either though. Too confining. What if I feel like talking on a Wednesday? What if I'm mad at the world on Thursday? That's why my blog structure is so loose. Rules are too confining and they make me itch.

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

Couldn't agree more Rob!

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

Hey I totally forgot all about this! GREAT idea! I always love to write about music/concerts. I actually have all the ticket stubs of every show/sporting/event I've ever been to. Most are in a scrapbook but some haven't been added yet. I can't imagine how many there would be...

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

The blog hop looks like it'll be an interesting time, I hopefully won't get too far behind again and can actually keep up with post reading/comments this time around. It's been so busy writing other stuff but I hate when personal blog reading suffers in favor of work blog reading :-(

Someday we'll get to the Foos!