Writer's Block and Super Heros

Writer's block is when I sit staring at a blank sheet of paper and, an hour later, the page is still, pristine, crisp, empty.

When this happens I often turn to my husband, Comedy Boy and my daughter, Magnet. I realise I've made us sound like a family straight out of a Marvel comic and perhaps we are. Indeed Comedy Boy reminded me of his many super powers the other day, "[I'm your] saviour from spiders, believer of 'they were in a sale' stories, the first person you called when you broke your finger, collaborator of great ideas, the person who attends several holidays a year with you, the bag packer while you stand there looking gorgeous at the supermarket till, the guy who picks you up, drops you off and often both, protector and investigator of noises during the night, the only person who re-charges the toothbrushes and puts the ironing board away." Now you might be thinking these super powers are a bit poor but, in my opinion, they are better than being able to fly or become invisible.

Comedy Boy does more than just provide ideas he provides invaluable support and he believes in me. In fact that is my first rule of writing: find someone whose super power is, amongst others, that they believe in you, preferably more than you believe in yourself, that way you won't flounder for too long when your brain simply won't cooperate.

Magnet's super power is also her unwavering belief in herself and in me. She would say things like, "Mum have you written anymore because I want to read it." or "mum I had a dream about a book I want to write and now I realise it is exactly like yours, well not exactly like yours but very close." Surely this is the best accolade of all. I haven't even finished my novel and my daughter already wants to steal the idea. I told her to get writing immediately.

Reading this back I wonder if my super power is finding new ways to procrastinate. I hope not but I think I should be writing my novel and not my blog so night, night.

P.S. It has been a slow week but I've written 3000 more words so far.

P.P.S I realise the super powers I've mentioned would not be exciting to read about in an actual Marvel comic.