The Killers are playing, wailing out their Sawdust album. My head is bobbing, and I'm flopped on my bed. I'm totally engrossed in my writing, eyes intent on my laptop screen. The musical notes weave into my thoughts, keeping them on a tempo. I am totally in the zone, and the words fly from my fingertips without hesitation. The music is the rhythm, the story creates the melody. Somebody walks into my room, singing along to some teenybopper tune. My sister. The precious few moments in my thought bubble are ruptured, all ideas gone back to hiding, leaving my head empty. Immediately, disharmony erupts between my sister and me. The glares begin and our music engages in a battle of rock alternative and pop. Notes ricochet off one another, leaving the battle to end in silence as our headphones are plugged in.
At some point, most people end up sharing a room. If not during one's childhood, then during the college years. Sometimes its nice; there's always someone within close pranking distance. Other times, it can suck. If you want space, there's no use hunkering up in your room. You are never alone.
The same goes for working on a story. Writing a story requires mind space, full knowledge of your characters, awareness of the story left to tell. Writing a story is a lot like sharing a room--your brain room.
Generally, writers love what they do: writing. It's fun and liberating and a great outlet for the creative mind. It is likely safe to say that writers are at peace with writing. Writers tell stories, and let their stories make their home in their brain. Having those stories to sink into is nice. They provide entertainment, hours of it, and an escape from stress. Much like a friend, one could surmise. Or much like a roommate.
However, there are times when the story rears its head, and the writer charges the untamed beast with malevolent intentions. This is a way to characterize writer's block. There is the story, being a little piece of angst--a cat? Yes, a cat, scratching at the owner every time they come near. After some time sharing the same space, the writer and, yes, the story become a bit irritable. And then when the writer seeks an escape from the story, it strolls in, removing all sense of privacy. You are never alone. But never being alone can be good. Having the story always take up space can be a nuisance, but when the writer needs it most, it is there to pick up the pieces. Best. Roommate. Ever.
