July 2004

Once in a blue moon . . . now how often do we hear that phrase? If you are like me it can be fairly frequently. The website info please states: "a blue moon is a full moon that occurs twice in one month. The second moon is called the blue moon." Marriam-Webster Online describes it as "A very long period of time." So which is it and what is my point with it regarding writing?

Technically, a blue moon can fall under both definitions. One is the abstract and one is the concrete. Regarding writing, and brainstorming/writer’s blocks, the blue moon can come into focus. It is in this regard that we are going to focus on the abstract meaning of "A very long period of time."

The abstract definition of Blue Moon, now this one is not very fun if you look at it negatively, but can be very helpful if you look at it in the positive. What are the negative and the positive? In the following paragraph’s I will give an example.

The negative: A very long period of time regarding writers’ block is that if you are having a hard time overcoming the block, you can go into what I call a "Blue Moon Block." This block can last an indefinite time period. Let’s all hope that we never run into this type of block.

The positive: in this aspect you can say that you have not had a block for a very long time: days, weeks, months and years. I call this period the "Blue Moon Triumph." In this aspect it is the vast majority of the time that you can sit at your pen and paper or computer and just type away, no blocks present themselves usually, if they do, they are usually relatively minor.

A point of clarification of the "Blue Moon Triumph." This period does not exclude writers’ blocks. I classify the small block’s in this period also. Sometimes the block’s serve a purpose of making us take a step back and look at what we have been working on. But these small blocks are just that . . . small. They are not the prolonged agonies of the "Blue Moon Block."

In my next column I will focus on ways you can attempt to work around the Blue Moon Block. In the column following that, I can show you some good ways to try to prolong the Blue Moon Triumph.

Just remember this: In all aspects of writing, there are lessons. If we can learn from these lessons, we can continue to grow.

As a little side note: Next time you notice there is going to be a Blue Moon in a calendar month, watch and see if you notice any strangeness that might appear . . . perhaps a different view of how you write, more activity or perhaps you find you cannot write at all. I bet you will be surprised at what you might find.