*blog-o-logical: (ADJ) 2009 term coined by Ann Sachs; often paired with ‘clock’ (N). Refers to psychological stress caused by time-lapse between Theatrical Intelligence blog postings.
Mothers Day, 2009: I birthed my blog. My blog-o-logical clock had been ticking for 13 months, and I thought that after publishing the first couple of posts, the tick-tick-tocking would go away. Ha! That is the equivalent of saying that a mother’s work is complete after childbirth.
I’m writing a book called Theatrical Intelligence, a concept that uses the theatre production model to impact business performance. My blog is also called Theatrical Intelligence; its purpose is to send my ideas and experience about this new concept out into the world to see what comes back to me. It isn’t working.
Aye, there’s the rub! Virtually nothing is coming back. Why?
FIRST: I don’t blog enough. I post approximately two 500-word pieces a month which in no way makes me a serious blogger. Responsibilities to my company get top priority. Make no mistake: this is my choice. I co-own the business with my husband and no one is tying me to my desk.
SECOND: I have been uncharacteristically shy about “sending my ideas and experience out into the world.” I’ve hinted. I’ve joined Twitter, and tweeted as @TheatreSmart. I’ve asked my kids what they think. But I haven’t launched, in the sense of sending my own little rocket into space.
THIRD: Twitter has an irresistible little feature called a Posterous Page. It is, essentially, a mini blog that is as easy to use as picking up the phone. I gave in to this preposterous temptation in November, and have posted 28 pieces of personal/professional reports and observations on what I call my (Pre)Posterous Page.
That puts me exactly 3 distractions away from writing the book. Or are they distractions? My partner Roger Morgan believes that so-called-distractions are the gestation period of the creative process; natural and inevitable, given that the muse does not descend on demand. (I have encouraged Roger to write a book on innovative procrastination techniques. He tells me that my suggestion is in the gestation phase.)
Writing the book is the goal, I remind myself. Yet my blog-o-logical clock keeps ticking, an incessant reminder that I am committing blog-abuse! My blog is hungry and wants to be fleshed out, to grow, to become the catalyst for getting the book out in the world. Every day my inner critic (the 8th role of Theatrical Intelligence, by the way) prevents me from posting deeply shallow articles.
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all!
Cowardice does not fit me comfortably. Therefore, I proclaim that in 2010 I will:
FIRST: L-A-U-N-C-H the blog, such as it is, into the world
SECOND: Finish writing the B-O-O-K
‘Tis a consummation devoutly to be wish’d!
Please join me as a conversation partner in this life-changing quest, and subscribe to this blog! Pass it along to friends and colleagues. And most important: share your feedback; one of the 6 Principles of Theatrical Intelligence is that “Failure is the quickest way to learn.” If I am off the mark in your opinion – let me know. That’s the way this dream will take flight.
Thank you. And may the new decade see your dreams come true.
My name is Ann Sachs, and I'm developing a process I call Theatrical Intelligence®. This is my Beta-Blog, where I post ideas and bits of writing as I build the idea into a book and a business.