A Lucky Break? by Sarah Nicholson

 

"Break a leg!" is a common phrase heard in the theatre. It is said without malice and means the complete opposite. I Googled to find our why but the exact origin is unknown.

Before Christmas I slipped on the ice and broke my arm – is that a writerly equivalent I wondered? "Hey - Break an arm!" Writers obviously use their arms more than legs.

Of course, it’s my right arm that’s broken, my writing arm, if I’m using pen and paper. Although I am typing this with both hands using most of my fingers, so even with a broken arm my hands and fingers still work.

I should count my blessings, most of me still works, although I find I am feeling more creaky as the years pass. Slowing up or should that be slowing down?

Perhaps my brain is seizing up as well, although I didn’t land on my head, just my ample behind, which started aching a few days later, and the arm that I put out to quite literally break my fall.

There is no cast on it, no visible sign to the outside world it is broken, so I keep reminding people and moving it up and down as prescribed on the sheet of paper from the hospital.

Just for research I Google “break an arm” to see if that is even a saying? Surprisingly it doesn’t appear to be and I soon shut down that line of enquiry when I spied a site “how to deliberately break an arm.” WHY????

Instead, I looked up “writing superstitions” and found two blogs published 3 years apart by different authors with exactly the same words, I won’t be repeating them again here. This is all my own drivel.

But two facts from my search I did find amusing, were superstitions held by authors who have written books I have enjoyed.

 

 

Isabel Allende (In the Midst of Winter, The Japanese Lover) starts writing all her books on the 8th January. At first purely from superstition, but now it is common knowledge she always gets complete solitude on that day.

 

 

 

 

 

And when Dr Seuss ( The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham) gets writers block, he rummages in his wardrobe for a new hat to wear to inspire him.

So on the 8th of this month, I shall buy a new hat and start writing a bestseller – if all goes well, “break an arm” will one day be the thing to say to all aspiring novelists!!!!

 

*Although Sarah is certain she didn’t land on her head, she unreservedly apologises for this month’s nonsense. Normal service may or may not resume next month!