Yesterday reminded me how even though I write books for a living, I may not express myself well when trying to convey my thoughts. My blog entry and the confusion/controversy it stirred up is the perfect example of this in action. To say this is frustrating is an understatement.
Is it that I save all my best words for the manuscripts? Gosh, I hope not.
More and more I find myself unable to remember the simpliest things. (ie Trying to tell my dh about something that I saw on TV.) I will search and search for the right words. And I’m not talking about trying to convey an amusing story. I’m talking about attempting to construct a simple worded sentence or two. It’s as if I speak another language and can’t complete a thought without struggling for each word.
Sometimes it scares me. I wonder if there’s something wrong with me. Other times, I think it must be some weird writer’s syndrome. You know, the kind you get from spending so many hours in your head creating make-believe worlds.
Have any of you ever struggled with this problem? Please tell me I’m not alone.
March 1st, 2005
I don’t ordinarily have trouble expressing myself in writing (although I’ve ticked people off on lists and boards a time or two– who among us hasn’t?) but I have an awful time coming up with words in speech. I usually refer to this problem as “noun trouble,” but the proper name for it is, I believe, “dysnomia.” Whatever. It’s darned frustrating– words flow right out of my brain when I write, but when I talk I stammer and can’t form sentences nearly as coherently as I’d like. Evidently talking uses a different part of the brain from writing. Anyway, that’s part of the reason I became a writer, I guess!
by Ellen Fisher March 1st, 2005 at 11:43 amLOL! Nope! Not alone. Just yesterday I couldn’t remember the word “cup” and ended up asking my dh if he was finished with “that white container on the table that previously held your coffee”. He laughed. I think he thought I was trying to be funny. I was just trying to clean the kitchen. Next time, I’ll just pass him a note.
by Eve Jameson March 1st, 2005 at 12:07 pmEllen,
by Jordan March 1st, 2005 at 12:34 pmI guess the thing that freaks me out is prior to becoming a ’serious’ writer I had NO trouble talking. (Ask any of my teachers or fellow flight attendants.
Eve, LOL! I’m cracking up because I’ve done something similar with trash bags.
by Jordan March 1st, 2005 at 12:35 pmI thnkw e all suffer from that occasionally. I know last week at work I was completely braindead. LOL I blame it on the fact that I was just finishing a novella, adn was in my own world.
by Sasha White March 1st, 2005 at 3:01 pmEve, that’s hysterical! I do that ALL THE TIME. Fortunately, my husband always knows what I mean, no matter what gibberish comes out of my mouth.
Jordan, I used to get paid to walk people through complicated repair procedures on the phone. I sound pretty much like the village idiot now. I think it’s like Ellen said, writing uses a different part of the brain and our “talking” brain is atrophied.
Chocolate might be the cure. I’d be willing to find out.
by Charlene Teglia March 1st, 2005 at 3:01 pmHehehhehe, maybe it’s a left brain/right brain thing…or something to that effect. What I’m saying is that your ‘fingers’ have spent SO much time doing the talking (hours a day) that your mouth doesn’t seem to kick in when you brain thinks of something to say. Betcha if you put a keyboard in front of you, you’d have been able to get the words out…at 120 words/minute. :o) I think we’ve ALL been there, Jordan.
by Patrice March 1st, 2005 at 3:09 pmListen, I do this ALL the time. In fact, I can’t find my words so often when I’m trying to speak that my family calls it “Mommy-itis”. When someone else can’t find a word, the girls laugh and point and say “you have mommy-itis”.
by Jill March 1st, 2005 at 4:41 pmSome days I can barely answer the phone at work because my tongue just wont WORK!!!!!! I rarely speak when I’m out with people because I just can’t think of a thing to say.
by Cece March 1st, 2005 at 5:29 pmGosh Guys,
You’re making me feel much, much better. LOL! It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who suffers from this ’syndrome’. (wg)
by Jordan March 1st, 2005 at 5:51 pmI *lose* words all the time. gg Kinda embarrassing, being a writer and all gg
by Jaq March 2nd, 2005 at 7:32 amAll the time. You are SO not alone. And it gets worse as I get older. My brain is turning to mush.
by Larissa March 2nd, 2005 at 7:57 amIt’s nice to know that I don’t need a Cat scan. LOL!
by Jordan March 2nd, 2005 at 9:28 amThank God, I’m not alone.
I was having this discussion last night with my hubby after it took me 5 minutes to ask a simple question. It’s a little disheartening to think that my fingers are getting smarter than the rest of me, though.
by Emily Erdlen March 2nd, 2005 at 9:48 amI do that constantly. And I’m always saying to myself that I’m a writer, dammit, I should be able to verbailize my thoughts articulately, but I’m always struggling for the most simple words. I think it’s a writer’s thing.
by Tracy March 2nd, 2005 at 10:24 amI do this too. But for me it comes out, “Thatthingiemabobby”. or “You know that thing that does that thing.”
by Sheri March 2nd, 2005 at 6:24 pmLOL! We need to start a club.
by Jordan March 2nd, 2005 at 8:17 pm