For Rent: 116 Writers Block Avenue
by AJ Dresser
There's an extraordinary block in the city. It's a great city with a place for everyone. There's Little Italy, Chinatown, Little Manila in Queens, Curry Hill in the East Village, Little Greece in Astoria, Spanish Harlem, and a series of streets lovingly called the Soviet Block. Hell, there's even Mutant Town for retired superheroes.
This special block wasn't established by immigrants from another country, though. No, this area is full of writers. It started out with just a couple but like delicate snowflakes, they stuck together and soon became indiscernible from one another. The artists moved out, unable to take the late night poetry readings and koffee klatches that inevitably followed. The artists despised the writers' messy lofts crammed full of books, blocking out the natural light they cherished. Most of the writers -- mainly the playwrights -- painted their windows black so their imaginations wouldn't be stifled by the great timekeeper.
A few years ago the writers all got together and petitioned to rename their block. Bolstered by the success of a few idiots in the 90s who won the challenge to change their street from Melrose Avenue to Melrose Place, they figured they couldn't lose. They wrote long diatribes, speeches, one-act plays, and heart wrenching stories.
They won.
And they lost.
After it was renamed, writers moved there in swarms. It made international news as such a famous, sad area. The artists came back to sculpt them: thinking, pondering, but never writing. When a writer moved there, he never wrote again. He knew he'd have to leave to be successful but it was such an empathetic place to live.
Welcome to the Writers Block, where there's always a vacancy and only the brave leave.
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Author's Note
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Very clever!
Yes, very clever! Enjoyable read!
Been there! But I am very special, because I carry my vey own Writer's Block with me wherever I go, sort of like a turtle shell.
Well done:) I have a time-share there. And now I'm humming "Hotel California".
Enjoyed this, thanks!
Nice!!! Smart writing.
Schwap! It's the writer's block that became the writer's block! We've gotta hold it down!
At first, I dyslexically read about a mutant town for retarded super heroes. Your sentence is much better than that one. Rad story, Allie.
Very funny! Also like the soviet block-eastern bloc.
oh wow, the last line makes me feel like such a schmo every time i feel like i have writers block.
Michael Czyzniejewski had a great take on writers block:
"If you want to write, you’ll write, and if you don’t, you won’t. Writer’s block doesn’t exist—it’s just being lazy or not caring."
Now I'd suggest tweaking to "...being lazy or not caring or being scared."
David, I debated whether the last line should read, "only the brave leave" or "only the lucky leave". I sorta agree with MC in that it's in us, so I left it at "brave." I don't think it's lazy, though. I think we must dare to break down these barriers that hold our imaginations captive. We must dare to venture somewhere that will inspire us.
Quite interesting, AJ, and thanks for the thoughtful reply. I'm sort of torn, as for myself sometimes I just feel damn lazy, like I don't feel like writing/pushing myself to write. Indeed, some of those times it may be that subconsciously I don't want to venture anywhere that may "injure" my relative contentment.
Also, I think MC's quote should be put in context (b/c I only quoted the end) and I think for him it does come down to "laziness" (ha, he writes b/w midnight and 2 a.m. usually):
Michael Hinken: Teaching full-time during the academic year, working as a beer vendor at Wrigley Field in the summers, editing a literary magazine, and being a father and husband—that’s a lot to balance. How do you squeeze in your writing?
Michael Czyzniejewski: Every minute of every day is accounted for, and so I find myself writing from 12:30 to 2 a.m. If that happens three times a week, I’m doing pretty good. Sometimes I’m too tired. It’s like working out: I wish I could go to the gym more, I wish I could write more. The trick is not to feel bad about not doing something, to try to move on, write the next day and stick with your routine. If you want to write, you’ll write, and if you don’t, you won’t. Writer’s block doesn’t exist—it’s just being lazy or not caring.
In any event, great story and thanks for engaging in this interesting discussion. Sorry for this post being so long!
that's a great meta cameo, which hits me on many levels-not the least one my living on a 'writer's block' myself. many wonderful images - 'empathetic place', and the protection against the 'great timekeeper'...so good!
Just wonderful, AJ!
such a wonderful, pathetic ending to such happy days. There will always be writers, I'm convinced. When I go to reading in the city, it's packed full of people. Keep writing. This is a Fav.
Kinda like ridin' a Harley. Unless you've done it, you'll never understand. Fun piece.
Sounds like such a homey place to be because of course I see it as a little enclave in New York City, the kind I've always wanted to be able to afford to move into, and too, there's all that time to waste in chatting about what one plans to do, but never gets around to actually doing. I love the piece for it's kind of warm-hearted take on procrastination, but I also left off hearing the Eagles in my head.
You said it! How comforting it would be to live in such a place.
Great piece of writing, and I love that last line!
Great last line. Also
"They won.
And they lost."
Sets up the closing really well.
"It started out with just a couple but like delicate snowflakes, they stuck together and soon became indiscernible from one another."
Beautiful sentence.
Good piece.
bravo.
nice piece.