Waking me up from a trance, my husband asked: “What did that poor pen ever do to you? You’ve not only chewed its head off, you’re lucky you didn’t break a tooth.”
Obviously, pen chewing is a revolting, potentially hazardous, bad habit. I’m not stupid. However, what my husband doesn’t appreciate, is the power of pen chewing to shift even the most resistant writer’s block. Indeed, it has what I privately refer to as a “laxative effect”. The only downside, is trying to catch all the words before they run away, and holding my hand wasn’t going to help.
…..
This has been another contribution to Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wishoff-Fields, where we write up to 100 words to a provided photo prompt. PHOTO PROMPT © Priya Bajpal
Best wishes,
Rowena
Beyond the Flow 
Love this 😄
Nice one, Rowena! I wrote about writer’s block too! 🙂
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Very true!
Makes me wonder how long they’ve been married. You marry someone and they turn out to be a writer…lots to adjust to.
Interesting observation and I really love how these short pieces of fiction draw out different ideas and perspectives from different people.
This scenario was based on a scene which transpired in the car. I’d looked up the prompt on my phone while we were driving somewhere in between Byron Bay and Newcastle on the Pacific Highway. It was around sunset the the green paddocks were flooded with an ethereal golden light and there were shadowy, volcanic hills in the distance. It was quite serene and my husband caught me seemingly staring into space chewing my pen and asked me what I was up to. I seemed to be in a state of suspended animation. That’s when I started thinking that chewing my pen helped me to think. I am nowhere ner as bad as I used to be but I used to crunched the ends of BIC biros and once my boss even came in to find out what was going on and was concerned about my teeth.
As far as having your spouse metamorphose into a writer is concerned, my mother married an accountant with an MBA. We have a running joke in our family that my Dad changes every seven years and she gets a new husband. My Dad went on to do his Arts under grad, a Masters in Creative Writing but he’s also a qualified hypnotist and he disappeared at one stage to do dancing classes without my mother and she didn’t seem to mind. I did. This was about 20 years ago when a number of my single friends were going to dancing classes to meet someone. I didn’t want them to meet my Dad even on a social footing. Another comic aside about my Dad is that he and John Cleese used to look very similar and at my 21st he dressed up as Basil Faulty. Never a dull moment in our family!
Best wishes,
Rowena
That’s funny. I did find that prompt difficult, although I did consider having messages on those pieces of paper. After all the creative stimulation I’ve had around Byron Bay, I should’ve had creative overload, which is much more common for me.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Hi Susan,
I couldn’t upload my comment on your post so here it is: Hi Susan,
Great take on the prompt and you could very well be writing about me and no doubt many writers. I think many of us are a procrastinating bunch of avoiders who find it much easier to write a book about overcoming writer’s block and such like than actually picking up the pen.
However, it also acted as a strong warning to me. I have a few research projects I was working on last year, which I’m aiming to turn into books in 2019 or at the very least articles, blog posts, something. I am now trying to work out where to start and which is the best one to launch off with.
I think your prompt advises me just to pick on and run with it. Get it done!!
Best wishes,
Rowena – Beyond the Flow
Thanks, Colline.
So true, Rowena. Mere mortals don’t understand the agonies we suffer trying to clear these blockages!
When I saw this week’s prompt, I just sat there wondering what on earth to write. So I did what I always do when my muse deserts me – I walk down to the beach and wander along the shoreline until I find her – and I did! An excellent piece we can all relate to I’m sure Rowena.
Click to read my FriFic tale!
Dear Rowena,
I’ve never been a pen chewer although I’ve known a few. For me the best way to break up writer’s block is to go for a nice healthy swim. Doing laps seems to jar everything loose and lately my novel characters have been sharing some powerful secrets.
Good story that most of us writers can relate to.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks, Rochelle. A swim sounds like a great idea and the beach is only metres away. However, I’ve been wading through my daughter’s room for the last few days before she gets back from Jamboree and I also have stitches in my foot I need to keep dry.
Best wishes,
Rowena
You’re right, chewing the pen does focus the imagination and let loose the ideas
LOL at “laxative effect.” Also, love the take on the prompt as an exploding pen. 🙂 I’ve occasionally destroyed pens too….
Thank you.