Dear Reader,
Yes it's me...remember me? The opinionated comedy of errors. Well I'm back... I know that all of you are mystified as to why I pulled the old vanishing trick. Well, prepare yourself to be horrified......I had a severe case of writer's block. I mean a BAD one people!!! I now give you leave to be totally sympathetic.
It was horrible my dear reader. I would get all these words in my head, bursting to be put on paper and yet all I could manage was stare at a blank sheet. So basically NOTHING. I couldn't even manage a single coherent sentence.
So many of you are writers out there, some of you are probably ones, whose work I would totally love reading. I am sure that you have faced that loathsome dragon called "Writer's Block". Well, what is it anyway? Is it the sheer frustration of not being able to craft a single sentence from the jumble of thoughts running in one's head?
If yes, then I was indeed plagued by that nasty beast! I wish that I had a way to defeat said beast though....... In a perfect world, writers would never be victims of something as mundane as "Writer's Block"!! By which I mean, Bleh!!!..........Well, the name itself is soo unimaginative as to suggest that it was definitely coined by a person who couldn't write to save his/her life!
In a writer's world though, if one did have the misfortune to face the despicable beast, one would have dozens of weapons in one's arsenal to trounce the dull creature....Enchanted swords, shields and spheres, magic, spells, the wand of destiny ( thank you J K Rowling! ), or in really fairytale like instance ( where feminism doesn't exist) .... An all powerful handsome prince to do the trouncing on behalf of the lovely maiden who just happens to be a brilliant writer!!!
Alas, in the real world, all one can do is eat ice cream, do all the mundane things that are majorly avoidable. And lament over the loss of many great thoughts and words, that potentially, in one's mind at least could have been that one successful, publishable idea!
So many event's took place in the meantime, at home and out in the world that I had opinions about. The writer in me iched to put these opinions to paper, being unable to watch these thoughts come to life on paper was torture. I may come across a touch dramatic, but really, the life of a writer would be boring indeed if not for a healthy dose of drama, real or imagined. And what could be more threatening or dramatic than "Writer's block" eh?
So, imagine my agony dear reader feel, at least a tiny amount of sympathy. And in case you are a writer like yours truly, empathise, and write back with your tale of woe. Know that here, you'll find a willing and true comrade.
Yes it's me...remember me? The opinionated comedy of errors. Well I'm back... I know that all of you are mystified as to why I pulled the old vanishing trick. Well, prepare yourself to be horrified......I had a severe case of writer's block. I mean a BAD one people!!! I now give you leave to be totally sympathetic.
It was horrible my dear reader. I would get all these words in my head, bursting to be put on paper and yet all I could manage was stare at a blank sheet. So basically NOTHING. I couldn't even manage a single coherent sentence.
If yes, then I was indeed plagued by that nasty beast! I wish that I had a way to defeat said beast though....... In a perfect world, writers would never be victims of something as mundane as "Writer's Block"!! By which I mean, Bleh!!!..........Well, the name itself is soo unimaginative as to suggest that it was definitely coined by a person who couldn't write to save his/her life!
In a writer's world though, if one did have the misfortune to face the despicable beast, one would have dozens of weapons in one's arsenal to trounce the dull creature....Enchanted swords, shields and spheres, magic, spells, the wand of destiny ( thank you J K Rowling! ), or in really fairytale like instance ( where feminism doesn't exist) .... An all powerful handsome prince to do the trouncing on behalf of the lovely maiden who just happens to be a brilliant writer!!!
Alas, in the real world, all one can do is eat ice cream, do all the mundane things that are majorly avoidable. And lament over the loss of many great thoughts and words, that potentially, in one's mind at least could have been that one successful, publishable idea!So many event's took place in the meantime, at home and out in the world that I had opinions about. The writer in me iched to put these opinions to paper, being unable to watch these thoughts come to life on paper was torture. I may come across a touch dramatic, but really, the life of a writer would be boring indeed if not for a healthy dose of drama, real or imagined. And what could be more threatening or dramatic than "Writer's block" eh?
So, imagine my agony dear reader feel, at least a tiny amount of sympathy. And in case you are a writer like yours truly, empathise, and write back with your tale of woe. Know that here, you'll find a willing and true comrade.
You have my sympathy and empathy re the writer's block. Some clever people say when this happens you have to write anyway ... Yes, force, make those fingers work. The cat sat on the mat, the cat had a bird in its claws... Whatever whatever but just write, twaddle and more twaddle and then it gets easier and the muse appears.
ReplyDeleteSusan at http://www.gardenofedenblog.com
Thanks Susan! :D My trick is eating as much icecream as possible till I can write again! :P but your suggestion is probably more useful. I hope that your move to the new place goes somoothly. :)
DeleteThank you! Hope your writing is progressing apace! Eish, not so great on my side though I managed to put up a post this evening! Bleh!
DeleteThat's great! can't wait to read it. :)
DeleteI have found that the best cure for Writer's Block is to write your way through it. Write anything, even if you think it is crap. Soon you will find the rhythm. It may take a while, but it will come.
ReplyDeleteTim Sunderland
WhatIfYouCouldNotFail.com
I just went through this phase where I couldn't seem to write anything at all! I suppose that some of us just get afflicted with writers block for mysterious reasons. In my case I suppose I got scared when I couldn't write that first day and then the problem got bigger and bigger...until one day I just decided to write something...even a sentence, and then went on with the thought.:)
DeleteThere's no such thing as writer's block. If you've done your research and know your topic, the words will come out of you.
ReplyDeleteResearch? Well my friend you have given me a very sensible solution to my problem. Why did I not think about it on my own?? Thanks :)
Deletehttp://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/02/22/henry-miller-on-writing/
ReplyDeleteThanks for this! :) I think that the 11 commandments are all really useful...But can I add a twelfth?? ICECREAM!!! it works!!! :D
DeleteI agree with Anonymous. No such thing as a writer's block. I call it writer's transition. It means you need to stop for a moment and breathe. You are transitioning from one point to another. During the transition, breathe. Deep breathing and walking keeps you from trying to force your writing. Whatever subject you have in mind, read about it from other people's point of view, read history on it, read research on it; the point is to keep your mind, body and spirit moving in a purposeful way.
ReplyDeleteSeriously?? I wish that I had written this post a long time ago!! These suggestions are going to be amazingly helpful in my future. You know, research is something I never even thought about...and the different points of view...That is a great one...so thanks! :)
DeleteI've known many established authors who have run into a block. Research and topic knowledge when writing fiction has little to do with the ability to weave a story. For an essay, fine but fiction writing is a rather different animal. Fortunately, I've never fallen prey and hope it continues that way (sorry for the rhyme there).
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to get past yours.
Be well,
William
Hi William, thanks! In hindsight, I think that I just let my fear of not being able to write get bigger and bigger. My way of combatting it was having comfort food for dutch courage and gathering my thoughts to address the situation. I have learnt that overthinking about writer's block is really not the way to go!
DeleteI think my "creative" side of the brain shuts down once in a while to give itself a chance to revitalize. If I allow that to happen without struggling and ranting and threatening to throw my computer out the window, my creative brain comes back online and goes back to work.
ReplyDeleteHere's to that block going away!
I can only write when I'm happy and when I'm sad I can only write angst filled, dark poetry.
ReplyDeleteMy dear friend,
ReplyDeleteI have finally arrived to leave on of my um, award-winning, highly collectable comments. Okay, maybe another time.
Of course, when you really think about it, there's no such thing as "Writer's Block." You have actually proven this to be so by writing an article about writer's block. If somebody just starts typing about having writer's block, then they don't have writer's block because they are typing about it without actually having it.
Yes, my comment probably makes no sense. Perhaps I have commenter's block. Heck, if I ever did experience anything remotely close to writer's block, I have Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar, who is more than capable of taking over.
Hope you had a delightful weekend.
In kindness,
Gary :)
I'm not a big believer in "writer's block". I see it as more of a case of "writer's don't wanna write right now". Sometimes I think it's better just to do something else if the words won't come and go back to the page when you can't contain yourself.
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out