The Hit List - The blank page

The blank page is the writer’s enemy. That may sound dramatic, but it’s true. I think people assume a writer comes to their desk, ready to roll at the click of a mouse.

But the truth is, we often come to the computer (or paper for the old skool writers) without any ideas. We stare at the page – and the page glares right back. It’s a stand-off. Sometimes that blank page wins.

Other times, it’s a dance. We type out a few words, get up and walk around, sit back down, and begin again. But then something on the internet catches our eyes and off we go on a mad trip down a rabbit hole until sooner or later we realize we’ve wasted precious writing time.

Distractions come in other forms, too – the mailman with a stack of boxes, the ding that signals a text from one of the kids, or the crying cat. For some reason, the cat bothers me the most. I get mad, can’t concentrate, and feel like throwing in the towel for a massive glass of wine.

Those diversions must be dealt with swiftly or the game is lost.

So we try all sorts of practices to keep those to a minimum: apps to block websites, turning off the phone, a do-not-disturb sign on the door, or shutting it and locking it. In worse-case scenarios, there may be a temper tantrum in there somewhere as a way to demand space and quiet. No one likes to be around a foul-mouthed writer, I can assure you. We’re hell to live with when we need our time to write.

To the outside world, the blank page is pristine and ready to accept whatever we can conjure up. But to those of us who write, we know it’s a fight to the finish….but first, we must conquer the hardest part of all: getting started.

Spooky AF.

Other stuff:

I loved talking with Tess Whitehurst and Natasha Levinger over at the Magic Monday Podcast.

Looks like my blog got a nod for one of the Top 25 Tarot Blogs over at Finer Wealth!

WTH: Urban spelunking: What’s up with the toilets under Milwaukee boulevard medians?

At 83, ‘Nimblewill Nomad’ Enters the Appalachian Trail Record Book.

Super grateful to learn Tarot: No Questions Asked – Mastering the Art of Intuitive Reading won a 2021 Witchies Award! Yay!

New To Astrology? This Deck Will Help Unpack Your Birth Chart.

Cool: Dr. Marten’s Film Series Explore LA’s Feminist Punk Women (Exene, The Linda Lindas, L.A. Witch) And The DIY Ethos Of NYC’s Music Scene.

From Thea Fiore-Bloom: How To Thrive as a Creative Without Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

People Not Mascots Is a Campaign to Get Native Mascots Out of High Schools.

OMG I love her: J. Smith-Cameron Is in Control.

BitchReads: 9 Books Feminists Should Read in November.

Here’s my list for magical, mystical, healing gifts for moms, dads, and parents-to-be.

UGH: Book burning is back.

Check out this tarot deck: New Tarot deck celebrates the history of UFOlogy.

Get ready for the holidays: Great Gifts for the Astrology-Obsessed People in Your Life.

Over at Bustle: Your Guide to Surviving November’s Full Moon Eclipse.

Listen in to the latest Tarot Bytes: Clarifying Cards with Victoria Constantino.

The Georgia Collective are True Democracy Defenders.

The Disney Villians Deck is out!

Defo want to check this book out from Sharon Salzberg: Real Change.

This looks intriguing: Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion: A Guided Journey into the Mystical Rhythms of the Natural World, Season by Season.

WANT: The Ultimate Guide to Psychic Abilities: A Practical Guide to Developing Your Intuition by Karen Frazier.

Dark Goddess Magick: Rituals and Spells for Reclaiming Your Feminine Fire is coming out soon!

YUM: The Witch’s Feast: A Kitchen Grimoire.

Necessary reading: Sit Down to Rise Up: How Radical Self-Care Can Change the World.

Coming in January: You Are More Than You Think You Are: Practical Enlightenment for Everyday Life.

Adults and kids are loving Tarot For Kids! Yay!

Everything you need to get started reading tarot with confidence from A-Z in this award-winning, best-selling tarot book: Tarot: No Questions Asked: Mastering the Art of Intuitive Reading.

If you prefer to listen to your tarot lessons, I’ve got your back: Tarot: No Questions Asked: Mastering the Art of Intuitive Reading is available as an audiobook.

Astrology is a language. Get fluent with Astrology for Real Life: A Workbook for Beginners (A No B.S. Guide for the Astro-Curious).

Another deck for your collection? OF COURSE: The Uncommon Tarot: A Contemporary Reimagining of an Ancient Oracle.

Spending time coloring in the tarot cards will help you see new stories emerging: The Tarot Coloring Book.

Got a friend going through a rough time? Give ’em a hug, a tarot deck, and a copy of Tarot For Troubled Times.

Coming soon! Learn to Paint Tarot Cards: An artist’s guide to creating colorful personalized tarot cards and Twist Your Fate: Manifest Success with Astrology and Tarot. (I’ve been busy!)

Classes

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