Writers’ Block is A Dog

That has to be the best email subject line I’ve seen in ages. Sounds almost like a Zen koan, doesn’t it?

The email came from writer and friend Elizabeth Clarke. She went on to explain, “I got a puppy…” and it seems the lively little guy is getting in the way of her good intentions to stick to a writing schedule.

Being more of a cat person than a dog person, I am biased about this, but I consider cats better pets for writers because they’ll sit in your lap and purr while you sit at your desk and write. I imagine fish would also be good writer pets. And maybe rabbits–they’re nice and quiet, right?

I have no pets at the moment, but I am plagued by five — yes, I’ve counted them  — squirrels who chatter and squeal and scramble back and forth and back and forth across the rattly tin roof over my porch. They drive me nuts. I have a water pistol and am actually getting good at hitting one every once in awhile.

It’s so distracting, all that racket and all the time I spend trying to chase the little bastards away. Then again, writers are easily distracted. In fact, sometimes anyone watching might even jump to the conclusion that we’re intentionally even looking for ways to avoid writing. Can you believe that?