Writers block

[sobrique]

I know now what they mean, by the phrase 'writers block'.
It's that pressure, when you know you have to write. But you can't.
And you go in circles, thinking that you must, and as you do, you move further away from doing so.

I got around to checking.

My first plotline in SINergy started August 03. That's 14 months ago. I hadn't realised it'd been quite that long.

Since then, I've moved from 'occasionally one or two plotlines' to doing Neon Fringe, (although some of that's now handed off), Rumours, Return Sheets, prop courier and the Event. Instead of one or two a month, I'm trying to find 10-20 'things'. At least some of which will (or should be) be part of a storyline.

The art of the story teller is a wonderful one. You create a setting, characters and events. And then you transpose that chain of events into a section

The art of a story teller isn't an easy one. The hardest part though, is finding inspiration for something new and innovative. I'm not saying that SINergy is the height of literary excellence, but I'm starting to have a hard time of it.

4 full time refs aren't enough. At the moment, SINergy has two. I'm not knocking Darren and Graham's contribution to SINergy. I suspect they pretty much hit the point of burn out 6 months back.
I'm very appreciative of any and all assistance offered to the end of making SINergy good. From those who help transport, to those who NPC or write story arcs, to those who show up, help us cover the cost of the club, and play.

But I think it's starting to crack. I know I am. Often I have some last minute inspiration for fun ideas. I'm hoping that'll happen this month. It seems to be getting a little later each month unfortunately, and still I have return sheets to finish.

The call for new refs is out. It's not easy. It will take as many hours as you're prepared to put into it. Unfortunately my well of creativity is starting to run dry. I've a few things I can use. iamnotramphus and I do still have a few fun ideas for things to do. And we'll be conspiring this weekend to do the best we can.

I still don't want to see SINergy fade out. I want to to be vibrant and good. I like having fun ideas for the story of this ol' club in Nova Roma.

I started reffing, because I like telling stories. A child of Legba, I.
I started reffing because I could see Darren and Graham hitting this point of burn out, where the effort of getting everything in place for a session outweighed the wellspring of enthusiasm.

And I'm starting to get there myself. Enthusiasm and creativity depleted by overuse.

Tonight, I go and meditate a while. I will sit in the garden, on my folding reclining chair, be it raining or no.
The resolve focusses the will.

Sunday I will make it happen. And it will be good. As a story teller I can do no less.

Comments

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

if you want to borrow our Carport (to stop the rain from wetting you:) our garage or our attic. please feel free.

or if you just want to come round to re-charge batteries and watch obscure movies in the hope they will inspire.. please do so:).

I'm sure we have a couple of beers lying around and random food.

[jorune.livejournal.com]

You're not alone in this unfortunate position. It can take years of practice to get into a state where you can feel happy winging it. Developing new storylines is a relentless and remorseless activity, I do not envy you the challenge you face.

[the-wood-gnome.livejournal.com]

I thought about becoming a sinergy ref, I really did, back when they asked and you joined. But I'm a little glad that I didn't then. I didn't know the system and such, and I certainly wasn't in a position or the slightest bit happy about footing bills to keep it going.

Reffing the game should not be the same as running it, I'm not up for running it, collecting money and such. I'm Very bad at the organisation of clubs, people and such (see Eberon for my skills there...) but I enjoy running plot/stories etc, the things that make the game flow.

I think the problem I find is the lack of backup and/or help when starting it. It is a very forthright system, something I find I cannot be without invariably pissing a lot of people off.

I like someone in charge to tell me what I'm doing is fine before I go off and run it, rather than running it and having them scream at me for fucking up weeks of game planning etc.

But this also brings me to ask the question: Who, ultimately, is in charge of Sinergy? because atm it seems a slightly headless beast from my point of view.


All thoughts within this comment are my own, and are not intended to offend in any way.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

The man ultimately in charge is Graham. He's the final arbiter of ... well stuff.

[dj-rws.livejournal.com]

Yeah I tried to ref a TT vamp game once but there wasn't really enough interest from the general groups around although I managed to create some 10 or so characters.

I've recently found RPing a little boring, I think I'm just tiring of it a little although the novelty of maelstrom hasn't yet worn off and probably won't given that it's only 3 times a year. BTW I'm not saying SINergy is boring just that *I'm* bored with the setting.

I do like to write and have ideas though and I do enjoy "story telling" but most of the time my stories end up far to grand and they're not the sort of stories you could RP through because I like to be in control of *everything* including the characters so it just turns into a story rather than a story telling RP plot.

But if I get any inspiration Ed I'll let you know ;)