Do you have it too? Yes, of course. Everyone does. It’s the universal experience when faced with a blank sheet of paper. Only children and fools are exempt.
The paper is white and fresh, unspoilt. So full of promise, of infinite potential. We’re afraid that our first mark will spoil it. It will ruin everything, deny the promise, wash away the potential. Once we’re working, we’ll do just fine. But that first line is terrifying.
So I sat staring at my pad. I’d already wasted all the time I reasonably could. Time to jump in.
There! The line was drawn.
This week’s 100wcgu at Julia’s place: …the line was drawn…
Stray Thoughts 
What were you scared of… your picture suggests a competent drawing and painting skill.
🙂
Thanks. But we tend to compare our work with that of the masters… The comforting thing is that even they have exactly the same dread.
We can be our own worst critics.
lovely pic! my one took ages and i get scared i will ruin it or it wont come out right! brill use of prompt x
Thanks. We all do.
What a great use of the prompt. Well written. (Love the drawing too .)
Thanks. I took a very literal approach to the line ;-).
Lovely way to describe the ‘terror’ of that first line. (It works for writers, too!)
Thanks. I deliberately kept it vague. I think this fear is the same for any kind of creative act, really.
Love the picture and the reality of the terror of the first line.
Thanks. That first line is a bitch, isn’t it.
A great post describing that weird feeling. It takes boldness to draw that first line. Great agapanthus!
Thank-you. I’m not sure it’s really boldness. Maybe it’s more telling that nasty little critical voice in us to go jump?
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
So true! Happily, after the first few steps it becomes easier to go with the flow.
Imaginative take on the prompt. Love it.
Thanks. It was really quite a literal interpretation :-). I just thought it’s a feeling we all recognise.
That struck a chord with me. The challenge yet dread of making that first mark on the pristine paper…
It is great to know “it’s not just me”, but everyone has it. Thanks for stopping by.
and it’s beautiful! I thought of one of my first poems; it starts “the page, so clean and white…” which then goes on to tell of how to fill it when you can’t find the story that is aching to come out. For you, as an artist and a writer? Twice the clean, white pages to overcome. 🙂 Thanks for posting the words and the picture!
How very kind. For me it’s stronger with painting because I want to paint (play with colours, that is) before I decide what to paint, and how… while I usually only start writing when I already know what, and usually have a first line or so. But I think it goes equally for any act of creation.
Oh as I began reading I thought yes, I understand, I have bad handwriting and feel it spoils my notebooks but then I saw your artwork, just lovely!
Thanks. Now I come to think of it, when I start a notebook I try to write tidily for a page or two, and then go back to scribbles and doodles too. ;-(
Everything begins with a step, such is the first line of this.
Very well done!
Great minds think alike :-).
Thank you for visiting my blog. Orchids were so happy.
GB
AuroraCreations
You’re welcome, they’re lovely.
If you use less tags, current limit is 12? (I’m not sure about categories), your posts will appear in the tag reader, and more people will see them. I suggest using maybe photography, photo, photos, flowers, orchids?
Cheers
Awe, lovely…
Thanks 🙂
Nice drawing.
Thanks. 🙂
(Sorry for the late reply. Am currently on holiday and mostly offline.)