What's writer's block?
Well, some people have this idea that there's no such thing as writer's block. They claim that it proves that you've nothing to say, that's why you can't put the words onto the page.
Others find that it's very real, it's the demon of the white blank page - be it paper or a computer screen. It's very, very real to them.
You might think you know EXACTLY what you want to write, but as soon as that evil white screen appears, your mind suddenly goes completely blank. And I'm not talking about Zen meditation stare-at-the-wall-enlightenment-hits kind of blank.
I'm talking about sweat trickling down the back of your neck, anguish, panic and suffering kind of blank. The tighter the deadline, the worse it's going to be and writer's block has you paralysed.
Now, can you figure out what might possibly be causing this horrible spell of paralyzing speechlessness?
The answer is in it's symptoms: FEAR!
You're terrified of that blank page. You are terrified you have absolutely nothing of value to say. You are frightened of looking a fool. You're afraid of the fear, that is writer's block itself!
It doesn't matter if you've done a decade of research. That all you've left to do is string sentences, which you can repeat in your sleep, together into coherent paragraphs. Writer's block can strike anyone at any time. Based in fear, it raises our doubts about our own self-worth, but it's sneaky.
It's writer's block, after all, so it doesn't just come and let you know what it is. No, it makes you feel like an idiot who just had your frontal lobes removed. If you dare to put words onto a page or offer them to the greater world, you're certain they would come out as complete gibberish!
Let's try and be rational with this irrational demon. Let's make a list of what might possibly be beneath this frustrating and terrifying condition.
1. Perfectionism. You must absolutely produce a masterpiece of literature straight off in the first draft. Otherwise, you qualify as a complete failure.
2. Editing instead of composing. There's your editor monkey sitting on your back, looking over your shoulder. Soon as you type anything it's yelling "No, not that, that's wrong! That's stupid!"
Correct correct correct correct - right?
3. Self-consciousness. How can you think, let alone write, when all you can manage to do is pry the fingers of fear away from your throat, so you can get a few shallow breaths?
You're not focused on what you need to write, your focusing on trying to get air!
4. Can't get started. It's always the first sentence that's the hardest. As writers, we all know how EXTREMELY important the first sentence is. It must be brilliant! It must be unique! It must hook your reader's from the start! There's no way we can get into writing the piece until we get past this impossible first sentence.
5. Shattered concentration.
You're cat is sick. Your young children are hungry and need a snack. Your phone won't stop ringing. Your electricity could be turned off any second. Your waiting for the mail, but it's late. You have a dinner party to plan for your in-laws, this weekend! You . . .
Need I say more?
How can you possibly concentrate with all this mental clutter?
6. Procrastination. It's your favorite hobby. It's your soul mate. It's the reason you've knitted 60 different sweaters or made 30 bookcases in your garage workshop. It's the reason you never run out of Brie.
FACE IT! IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS YOU HAVE WRITER'S BLOCK!
Overcome Writer's Block or How to Cage that Monkey!
Okay. There's a herd of you running away from this article as fast as you can. I can hear you. "Absurd!" you huff. "Never in a million years!" you fume. Writer's block is absolutely, undeniably, scientifically proven to be impossible to overcome.
Oh, just get over it! Well, I guess it's not that easy. So try to sit down for just a few minutes and listen. Just listen. Think you can stick around for that? You don't have to actually write a single word.
Ah, there now. That cloud of dust is starting to settle. Now, stay seated and don't get spooked again. Now, I'm telling you that Write's Block or the fear, can be overcome. Stay with me now. Don't listen to all those whiners that don't want to fix this problem. Writer's Block has been their crutch for so long, their excuse for not being a writer, it's why they don't write!
Now pay attention, there are ways to trick this nasty demon. You just have to pick one or
pick several Give them a try. Soon, before you even have a chance for your heartbeat to accelerate, guess what? You're writing.
Here are some tried and true methods of overcoming writer's block:
1. Be prepared. The only thing to fear is fear itself. (I know, that's a cliche, but as soon as you start writing, feel free to improve on it.)
If you spend some time mulling over your project before you, thinking of it's structure, what needs to be done and how first. When you actually sit down to write, you may be able to circumvent the worst of the crippling panic.
2. Forget perfectionism. No one ever writes a masterpiece in the first draft. Don't put any
expectations on your writing at all! In fact, tell yourself you're going to write absolute garbage, and then give yourself permission to happily stink up your writing room.
3. Compose instead of editing. Never, never write your first draft with your editor monkey allowed to sit on your back looking over your shoulder, making snide editorial comments. Composing is a magical process. It surpasses the conscious mind by galaxies.
It's even incomprehensible to the conscious, editorial, monkey.
So prepare an ambush.
Sit down at your computer or your desk. Take a deep breath and blow out all your thoughts. Let your finger hover over your keyboard or pick up your pen.
And then pull a fake: appear to be about to begin to write, but instead, using your thumb and index finger of your dominant hand, flick that little annoying ugly monkey back into it's barrel of nitpicking where it came from.
Then jump in quickly! Write, scribble, scream, howl, let everything loose, as long as you do it with a pen or your computer keyboard.
4. Forget the first sentence. You can sweat over that all-important one-liner when you've finished your piece. Skip it!
Go for the middle or even the end. Start wherever you can. Chances are, when you read it
over, the first line will be blinking its little neon lights right at you from the depths of your composition.
5. Concentration. This is a hard one. Life throws us so many curve balls. How about thinking about your writing time as a little vacation from all those annoying worries.
Banish them!
Create a space, perhaps even a physical one, where nothing exists except the single present moment. If one of those irritating worries starts to get by you, stomp on it like you would an
ugly bug!
(Having a place, even a walk-in closet or a spare room with a lock, can offer you some distance. Have someone take the duties of watching young ones, answering the phone and dealing with all that for a half hour or an hour. Ask a teen if you've got a reliable, mature one that can handle the job. Then negotiate a trade for the service. Every little bit helps.)
6. Stop procrastinating. Write an outline. Keep your research notes within sight. Use someone else's writing to get going. Babble incoherently on paper or on the computer if you have to. Put a desktop image on your computer to urge you to start writing. Whatever it takes!
Just do it! (I know, I stole that line from somewhere?).
Tack up anything that could possibly help you to get going: notes, outlines, pictures of your
grandmother. Put the cookie you will be allowed to eat when you finish your first draft within sight. But make sure it's out of reach.
Then pick up the same type of writing that you need to write, and read it. Then read it again. Soon, trust me, the fear will slowly fade away. As soon as it does, grab your keyboard and get
writing!
So now you've some tools on hand, take a deep breath and get going! There's writing to be done and YOU can do it!
Take care and Carpe Diem!
