Writer's Kryptonite
by Tiffany Fenton
Kryptonite… a word we have all associated with taking down one of the most beloved superheroes of our time, and for writers, it can be just as destructive. From the time an author’s ideas are transformed into a world-famous masterpiece, we face many obstacles, and our own idiosyncrasies don’t help.
But what are we really talking about when we refer to Kryptonite and writers? Writing Kryptonite differs from writer’s block. When people think about writer’s block, they envision a creative soul that just can’t seem to scribble one word that makes sense. They need to be revived and given some form of inspiration to get those gifted juices flowing again so that they can create the next best selling book. Writers Kryptonite, however, is about distractions. It’s those things that devour your ‘oh so precious’ time without you even realizing it.
You wake up at 7 am feeling fully rested with more incredible ideas floating around your head than there is time in a day and you’re excited to hit the ground running. You finish your morning routine and boot up your computer with every intent on writing more than you ever have because your ideas are simply so incredible and you have so much to write. Today is the day your book goes from good to incredibly good.
You bring up your document and start to type. As you complete the first few sentences, you have too many ideas, and you don’t want to forget them, so you reach for the paper and pen on the table beside your computer. Your favorite magazine is on top of it entitled, Your Best Year Ever, and you realize you haven’t even opened it yet. So, you do. You figure you will just peek inside to see what it’s all about. 30 minutes later, you find yourself laughing at the article titled, “The Murderer Who Says Detective Ruined His Reputation.” You look at your watch, amazed at how much time has passed and decide you need to get back to work.
You write a few more sentences and realize you want to make your imagery more imaginative, so you search the web for inspiring words. Meanwhile, Amazon ads start popping up, and you like the deal of the day, so you click it. Which leads you to more ads, more amazing deals, and an endless line of items to purchase to enhance your life and perhaps even better your writing career. Two hours later and your bank account is three hundred dollars shorter, you realize you only have 30 minutes left to write all of those incredible ideas you started out with almost three hours ago…
My Kryptonite? Sitting down in my office, paper and pen ready, hot and sweet coffee on the desk, dogs lying at my feet, I’m ready. I’m full of gusto and about to create the best chapters I’ve ever written until… until I look up and see the sun. The beautiful bright sun beaming through the trees, shining on the coconuts and bananas growing in my front yard. The blue morpho butterflies gleaming as they glide past the monkeys eating mangoes from the enormous mango tree that covers the front yard. I just want to go for a walk. Face up with the sun beaming down on me. Rejuvenating me. I start to daydream about sitting poolside and how warm and relaxing it would be… should I go out and enjoy or get back to writing? Oh, you darn sun!
What’s your Kryptonite?
As a former educator, Tiffany Fenton is passionate about using her past experiences, as dark and brutal as they may be, to equip and inspire those who have suffered from abuse, health challenges, and who are searching to find their hero within. Tiffany was born in a small rural town in Canada, and now lives in Costa Rica. She is a professional speaker, life coach, community activist, and philanthropist. She's a warrior and a victor.