Writer's Block or Editoritis?

When I find myself sitting in front of my word document or notebook unable to write, my first excuse is usually a case of writer's block. It's a comfortable explanation that no one can really explain away, because every writer has experienced it at one point or another and most of the time it is something that we need to get ourselves out of. However, to be honest in most cases it is actually a small bout of editoritis.

Editoritis is the annoying campanion on any of my writing journey. Whether it is my inner editor that comes down hard on me while I am on a roll, the bitchy voice in the back of my head vetoing my ideas before they even flow onto a page or biting doubt which hits me when I proofread a finished passage. It's definitely a condition which has cost authors around the world a streak of nerves that could probably wrap around the earth and sun several times. And it is unpredictable, yet if you realise that it is the actual problem that keeps you from writing then at least you are one step closer to getting back into the groove.

Like with the famed "writer's block" the best way to combat editoritis is by writing, because both problems stem from the same root: fear of producing something that you will only yank later on because it is crap. But really, if you write a scene and it is terrible then at least you know that is not the way to go. Often with my writing running straight into a plot cul-de-sac is the way to actually dissolve the creative knot in my head. Sometimes I have to take the story to places where it would (should?) never go to realise exactly where on the plot map my character belongs. Just like sometimes a character  can turn on you and your planning to react in a way you would never have expected. I mean, honestly, those are probably the greatest moments of being a writer.

When your character takes off on their own little mission and you suddenly find yourself in a place in the story that is unexpected, but in the great scheme of your plotline actually makes a lot more sense then what you had in mind. So my cure to writer's block and editoritis: realisation, stubborn ignorance in order to keep writing  and a willingness to look at the passage I wrote that day and say "Well, sh**. My protagonist just found a pub serving heaggis in the middle of a desert canyon? Truly, it can't get any weirder than that, so scartch that?" My inner editor might be starting to furiously nod his shaggy head at that point in an attempt to lure me back to the beginning of the whole dilemma. However, why would I want to miss out on the pure insanity of a confident desert warrior strutting into a pub with a pinewood bar demanding a bowl of haeggis from the rotund bar keeper? The sheer hilarity of that image was worth the detour. And that's what I discovered brackets are there for. Just bench the part that doesn't fit and go with the flow while your inner editor can keep bitching within the confines of the jailed passage.

So have you ever had a craving for haggis in the middle of a desert? Or what do you usually do when you are faced with a nasty case of writer's block or editoritis?

The Sweet Side of Europe

Paris, Bruges and  Brussels seem to form a triangle of sweet delights in Europe. Beside the fact that these cities hold a wealth of history, they are also a paradise for anyone with a sweet tooth like me: pastries, macarons, muffins, cupcakes, sweets, cakes... The lists seems to be endless and I am discovering new hidden jewels of the mastery of confisserie everytime I stumble upon a new coffee or sweets shop in one of these cities. On top of that, being from Vienna I seem to have inherited a sweets and pastries radar from growing up with Viennoiserie for kindergarten snacks and cookie baking for Christmas. It comes in handy a lot these days because I definitely think that the pastry culture is part of the experience when going on a trip in any of the Benelux countries as well as France.

On my last trip to Paris in February this year, my friend and I made a beeline for the La Durée shop in 21, Rue Bonaparte. We fell in love at first sight. The contrast between the vintage, pastel interior design and the colour explosion of the macarons was magical. That and the fact that my friend and I decided to settle down in the Jardin des Tuileries to get our first taste. Our verdict: delicious, although we recommend to stay away from any petal flavours like "fleur d'orange". They tasted decidedly like soap, yet I have to say that they made for a fun experience.

Which brings me to Bruges, where besides the big selection of pastry delights you can even get soap in the shape of an apple cake. Now that shows true devotion to the sweet bakery arts of Europe. While the soap was an exciting find, since I absolutely love quirky decoration goods, it was the cupcakes on our way to the Begejinhof and the hot apple tarte I had for tea that melted my sweets-loving heart. By then the Belgian hot chocolate I had with my slice of apple tarte was the veritable, calorie-heavy cherry on top. I guess, I have to confess now, that I only admired the cupcakes at the de Proverie Tea Room and the "Alice in Wonderland"-sweets paradise at Zucchero, but managed to pass by without trying them out. A good tipp for sweet toothed travelers: At Zucchero they had sweet making demonstrations. The place was packed during those, so you better come early, if you wish to see one.

Finally, Brussels wowed me with its abundance of choice in the department of sweet shops with a tradition. Leonidas is the name for Belgian chocolate in the Brussels capital and they really deserve their title. Their chocolate melts on your tongue, dissolving into a symphony of chocolately sweet notes. When in Brussels, you obviously can't miss Belgian waffles which are sold both in shops and coffee houses as well as by street vendors. You can find them in a multitude of varieties on practically every corner in the city center of Brussels. I also discovered a shop of La Cure Gourmande on my way to the Grand Place and while I didn't fall head over heals for their cookies, I was struck by their packaging. I just had to get myself a cookie box, which is now proudly sitting on my kitchen counter.

It reminds me of the colourful sweets and the fantasy worlds the interior of some of these shop evokes. While I miss the Belgian chocolate I luckily discovered a La Durée shop in the center of Luxembourg. It has become a pilgrimage point on most of my weekends, although I spent more time admiring the pretty shop window decorations than actually buying macarons, which is probably better for my teeth anyway. When you get the chance to visit any of these beautiful, historical cities, I recommend also keeping an eye out for the sweets. I promise you will discover a hidden, European candyland behind the beautiful facades of the pastry, coffee and sweet shops of Paris, Brussels and Bruges.

Luxembourg - New City, New Inspiration

New places are always rife with unexpected ideas and insights. Which is probably one of the reasons why I just love new experiences. I'm lucky that Luxembourg exceeded all my expectations concerning its potential for exciting stories. Coming from Vienna with its wealth of history, I wasn't really convinced that Luxembourg would have the same charisma. However, after a visit to the Musee National d'Art et d'Histoire this weekend, I'm thoroughly cured of all my doubts. Luxembourg's historical crux is just a different one. Where Austria is marked by the emperial power games of the Habsburgian monarchy, Luxembourg to this day lives a culture of multiplicity. While over the centuries it was continuously invaded by foreign cultures, more often then not caught in the geographical power struggles of the bigger European empires, it today profits from its multi-cultural and polyglot population as well as a striving financial sector. 

Since moving to a new city means making yourself at home in a different place, I find it important to find spots in my new hometown which anchor me. Little oases of serenity where you can feel all the little burdens of everyday life being carried away by the breeze... One of these spots is Am Bock in Luxembourg city for me. Situated at the edge of the city centre it boasts the ruins of Sigefried's fortress which gave Luxembourg its name. Beyond its inherent beauty as a relict of history, its location also yields an amazing, panoramic view over the city's different plateaus. 

If the view doens't succeed in lifting my spirits, then the Chocolate House in front of the Ducal Palace is only a stone throw away. There is nothing a chocolate spoon dipped into hot milk can't put right. Esepecially with the added entertainment of seeing tourists tease the palace guards. I think my favourite episode was when a hen night party tried to gain a smile by playing "Mother Duck" chase with the guard on duty, following him on his obligatory marches like a flock of obedient ducklings. The hilarity was even greater because they wore screaming pink T-shirts and feathery tiaras. Those are the moments you would normally only conceive when you are writing a humourous scene. It's great to see when they happen in real life!