Welcome to the Writer's Block

I haven't really kept an active, creative blog in a long time.  Not since I was in high school, probably.  Perhaps not coincidentally, I wrote more frequently while I was in high school; but I generally attribute that to the fact that I needed something to do to keep amused in class.

Anyway.  Welcome to the Writer's Block.  I'm Pierce Wilkinson and odds are you either know me personally or you've stumbled upon this and you have no idea who I am.  That's fine.  It's good to meet you or, if I know you already, it's good to have you reading.  I am a writer.  I've always identified myself as such, but I haven't always put forth the effort necessary to be truly successful in that endeavor.  Recently, I decided to re-dedicate myself to what I've always considered to be my craft.  Creating and maintaining this blog is part of that.

I plan to do a few different things with this blog.  One thing I intend to do is use it as a critical outlet; I find it hard, as a writer, to get overly engrossed in entertainment - movies/literature/TV/video games; anything that's written, really - because part of me is always analyzing it, wondering how I could have done better, wondering what aspects of it had never occurred to me before, etc.  Sometimes that's a simple thing - such as "well, that was a mediocre film with inconsistent character development and a flimsy plot" - and sometimes it's more complicated, such as considerations over whether or not a film is too realistic (at the cost of enjoyment) or whether an author's style annoys me.  A more detailed example - coming in an article soon - is an assessment of realism vs. fun; at what point does making fiction "realistic" detract from the enjoyment of the audience?  Where's the line in the sand in that regard?  An example I'll use to whet your appetite is this - in the TV show 24, which I'm sure most people are at least conceptually familiar with - not once does the hero stop to eat, sleep or use the bathroom... over 24 hours.  Some people have criticized that; I say I don't want to watch Jack Bauer take a dump, so I'm okay with it.

Secondly, I intend to use this as a creative outlet.  It's called the Writer's Block for two reasons - first is because writer's block is a real thing and it is a problem for all writers at some point.  Life gets in the way, or other problems get in the way, or there's that one little plot wrinkle you have to get out before you keep writing, or it's just that blank white page and that blinking cursor mocking you... and sometimes being able to discuss that, or being able to discuss where I am creatively, can help cross it.  The other reason it's called the Writer's Block (note the caps this time) is because that sounds like it could be a place!  Right?  Hey, welcome to the Writer's Block.  Pull up a stool or a chair and grab a beer, or a coffee, or some water, if that's your taste, and let's chat about life.  Works for me. 

And thirdly, I may preview some of my works here.  Be it the introductory chapter of a novel, or some other snippet of a longer work, or the occasional short story - you'll see it here.  I am not a genre-bound writer; I've always worked hard to avoid that in my writing.  Like most writers, I have certain recurring themes that I'm sure my readers will notice over time, but I enjoy branching into different genres.  At the moment, I'm working on a medieval fantasy novel - the first in a trilogy, actually - and after that, I am considering some thoughts for either a science fiction space opera type of work or a contemporary novel.  Maybe taking some time out to write short, although that's never been my forte, sadly.  And, of course, for blogging. 

So, I'll say it one more time - welcome to the Writer's Block.  Enjoy your stay and come back as often as you like.  I look forward to your readership.