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Writing is hard work.
I don't personally ‘believe' in writer's block. I think you just need to put more into your brain in order to get stuff out of it again, which is why I love the research process. But I understand that many writers do ‘believe' in it.
So, in today's guest post, Ollin Morales from Courage To Create discusses writer's block.
Writer’s block is an often-misunderstood condition.
But the truth is, if you have writer’s block, that means that you cannot follow your passion because some sort of psychological, emotional, or spiritual baggage is keeping you from the pursuit.
Think of it this way: your natural state is a person who knows what they are meant to do and knows, in a general sense, how to proceed in fulfilling that passion.
A person in their natural state may not know what the future holds, may not know where their passion will lead them, may not know how to pursue their passion “perfectly,” but they DO know what their passion is, and they also know what they can do at this VERY MOMENT to take a step towards fulfilling that passion.
At any given moment, a person in their natural state (a.k.a. a person who is unblocked) knows:
1. What moves them the most right now. (What they are truly passionate about.)
2. What small action they can engage in—at this very moment—to act on this natural impulse.
If you a reading this and you don't have the answers to #1 or #2 above, then you are likely blocked.
A Metaphor To Help You Understand “The Block”
Think of a bathroom sink.
Now, if you don’t continually clean your sink, after a while, without you realizing it, stuff starts to get stuck in the drain: hair, trash, hair products, etc. Little by little all this stuff begins to add up, and suddenly, every time you go to use the sink, it takes longer and longer for the water to flow down into the drain. When your bathroom sink is clogged this makes doing simple tasks—like shaving, brushing your teeth, or combing your hair—all the more arduous. Therefore, the more you avoid unclogging your sink, the whole lot messier it gets for you every single morning when you have to get ready for your day.
Now, let’s imagine that this bathroom sink is you, and that “clogged drain” is your block.
At one point in your life, probably without realizing it, you began to avoid taking proper care yourself. For instance: you may have experienced several things in your life that you did not fully process when they first came up: a nasty break up, a loss of a job, a loss of faith, a family relationship that went awry—whatever it was it, it was not addressed (or processed) when it first came up and so it ended up causing a block in your system. Instead of making it all the way through you, that piece of unprocessed emotions, psychological baggage, or numbed spiritual signals got stuck in you; and because it got stuck in you, it is now blocking you from your full potential.
You, like that sink in our analogy, can no longer process things as quickly and as effectively as you used to. You cannot adequately get rid of all the “trash” that is starting to accumulate in your drain, and therefore you are stuck. What is supposed to flow very naturally through you now has a lot of trouble doing so. As a result, this makes day-to-day activities harder for you to execute.
Now, the more you ignore dealing with this clog in your system, the more problems it will cause for you.
Life drags along, and it gets harder and harder for you to move through day-to-day activities. Meanwhile, others seem to be zooming past you. Life works very easily for them. But, unlike everyone else around you, you struggle. (Everyone else’s drains are not as clogged as yours, you see.) Unlike them, you struggle to find that spark—that passion everyone says you need to be searching for. (Or you know your passion, but you struggle to start following that passion.)
Somewhere deep inside of you, you feel as if you have so much dragging you down, and this “dragging feeling” is exhausting and depleting your energy—energy you sense that you could be using to follow what moves you the most right now.
Something heavy, almost solid, is keeping you from doing what you naturally love to do.
What is that thing “dragging you down”?
That thing is your block.
If you are blocked, what you need to know is that the only thing that will make you feel better is if you start “unclogging that sink.”
The Remedy For Your Writer’s Block
Now, the cure for writer’s block is almost as complicated as its cure.
In order to cure yourself, you’re going to have to view yourself as a whole person. You’re going to have to address all the “five parts” of you:
– Your mind
– Your body
– Your heart
– Your community
– And your spirit
Up until now, you may have not taken addressing each of these parts of you very seriously. You may even think that none of these have to do with each other, nor that any of them have to do with your writing routine.
But if you are trying to write your novel, and notice that your anger, sadness, or feelings of frustration are getting in the way of your writing, you have to admit that your heart seems to be getting in the way of your writing at the moment, right?
Secondly, you may think that your body has nothing to do with being stuck right now, but if you feel exhausted, low in energy, or restless, and this is getting in the way of your writing, then you have to admit that your body seems to be getting in the way of your passion, correct?
You may think that your community has nothing to do with your writer’s block, but if a sense of loneliness, betrayal, or isolation has made an invisible wall rise between you and your creativity, you’ve got to admit that a lack of connection with your community is a serious impediment to you finishing your work, don’t you think so?
If your mind seems to be filled with worries, catastrophic scenarios of the future, and panicked thoughts, and this is preventing you from writing today, then you’ve gotta admit that your mind is getting in the way of your passion—no?
Finally, if you think your spirit has nothing to do with your writer’s block, but a sense of meaninglessness seems to hang on every word you write, preventing you from having any sustaining any continued inspiration, then you MUST admit that a lack of spiritual-connectedness may have something to do with your writer’s block, right?
You may have convinced yourself that writer’s block is just a slight hiccup in your writer’s journey, and that the cure to writer’s block is a quick fix, but then you wouldn’t be giving yourself enough credit: you are a complicated, multifaceted being, who needs deep love and attention.
Each part of you needs nourishment and care at all times, and the reason you are blocked is because you have not accepted this truth in your life. You keep neglecting your great responsibility to yourself as your soul’s keeper.
So stop neglecting yourself.
Give each part of you the attention it deserves today, and see all your blocks begin to dissolve away.
Do you have any questions or comments about writer's block? Please leave them below.
He just finished writing a book about how to cure writer’s block entitled “The Courage To Live: How To Remove Your Obstacles And Start Following Your Passion.” You can purchase his new eBook for your Kindle by going here.
Top image: Flickr Creative Commons writers block by Sharon Drummond
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1 2 Next »I don't believe in writer's block, either, but I sure can identify some of my difficulties in what you write. I never stop writing, I simply write junk and put on a happy face, then go bonkers about something else. Without a community of some sort, somewhere, that cares enough about you to say you're being a jackass and ask that you get straight for everybody's sake, the junk just keeps coming. With a community that cares, there's the ability to see the junk and come back to the "mess" of writing and start cleaning up.
I've also found the old physician's saw of "think horses, not zebras" quite helpful. We can become so focused on our work we don't give proper attention to our bodies: they're an inconvenience. I've learned that much of my I-don't-wanna attitude can come from lower back pain (a horse, not a complex zebra). Now I use a timer to limit my seat time for some yoga and stretches, and start each day with a hike (grumbling all the way).
It's always been my position that writing is who we are, not what we do, and I appreciate this thoughtful reminder that we must take care of ourselves if we're to continue being who we are.
I don't believe in “writer’s block.” I just don’t. I believe it tends to be an excuse to not write. You either write, or you don't.
If you think you’re blocked, then you need to just sit down and write. It doesn’t matter what you write. Just write. Do a free writing session — minimum 15–20 minutes. Just write, and don’t stop. Don’t think. Don’t edit. Don’t correct anything. Just write. If you can’t think of anything to write, then write, “I can’t think of anything to write,” over and over again until something comes to mind. Trust me, something *will* come to mind.
This sort of writing exercise is, in fact, the best way to get beyond your internal editor, and to get beyond the clichéd ideas that tend to come straight off the top of your head. This is also one of the best ways to brainstorm.
Writing *is* hard work. It’s hard for two reasons: 1) you have to do it every day, and 2) to paraphrase a saying I read many years ago by the late Gary Provost: Writing is easy. What’s hard is writing well. What Provost’s originally said was, “Getting published is easy. What’s hard is writing well.”
I said in my previous comment that I think that “writer’s block” tends to be an excuse not to write.In other words, it’s procrastination in disguise.
I think one of the best things I have ever read on this subject is found in the first chapter of Jack M. Bickham’s book THE 38 MOST COMMON FICTION WRITING MISTAKES. The first chapter is all about excuses and procrastination. Bickham writes:
___
“Let me suggest a simple device that may help you to avoid the trap of falling into excuse-making. Go find a cheap calendar, the type that has a small open block for each day of the month. At the end of each day, write down in the day’s block two things: 1. the number of hours you spent at the typewriter or word processor, working on your fiction project; and 2. how many pages you produced (rough draft or finished, makes no difference) in that working day.
“For those days when you don’t have anything in terms of work to report, type one double-spaced page of excuses, date it carefully, and file it in a special place. Make sure your excuses fill at least one page, about 250 words. You must do this without fail every time you don’t work.
“I guarantee you one thing: If you follow this system religiously, you’ll soon get so sick of writing down your flimsy excuses that you’ll either start investing your time in writing that’s more creative, or you’ll quit.
“In either case you’ll have stopped kidding yourself.”
___
This may sound tough, but let’s be honest, shall we? There are quite a number of people who write for a living. They never say that writing is swimmingly easy. Never! They *will* say, however, that sometimes the writing goes well and they can get their writing for the day done quickly, and sometimes it doesn’t go so well, and it takes them longer to reach their daily goal. (Note that they have a goal, and they work to achieve it *every* day.) That these people write for a living tells you two things: 1) they do *not* make excuses; they write! and 2) they do *not* wait for inspiration.
Gary: very interesting point! Thanks for sharing.
I would just say this: if you are someone who doesn't struggle with writer's block, then that is wonderful! But I wonder if we risk alienating folks who actually may be suffering from a condition we, who are unblocked, don't understand.
I guess the question would be: if someone could just snap out of it, then wouldn't they have already done so? If its as simple as just not believing in the block, wouldn't that have already worked for those who suffer from the block? I guess I am asking folks to open their minds and consider that maybe if they others might actually be struggling with a serious issue that needs attention. I wonder if we might hear folks out first, and then decide later if the reason they struggle with writing has to do with excuses or something actually need a workable solution for. i dont know. just my thoughts!
Like like like.
Yes, there is writer's block. I have seizures and have had a bad year with them. The first thing I lose, and the last thing I get back, is my vocabulary. Imaging how this affects your writing.
I am on new medication and am hoping things will improve, but meanwhile, how to get back in touch with my creative spirit? It has been a long struggle--nearly a year.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us! I'm glad you appreciated it.
This article makes all the sense in the world to me. I have been "writing" a book for 14 years now. During that time, I neglected my body by my alcoholism, neglected my spirit by the same means, endured an abusive and disruptive relationship, and was isolated and alone both mentally and physically.
I have now stopped drinking, moved to a new community with neighbors, and have a loving, supportive companion. My book is in the final stages of production.
Congratulations Jane! Thank you for sharing your inspiring story with us! I hope it gives others hope and good luck on your book!
I believe in writers block. I lost all passion for writing in the fall after getting a draft out. I started reading for pleasure again. Anything and everything I could put onto my ereader. After 2 months of it, I started to feel refreshed enough to keep going. Since I have a full time career, I find it hard to both read and write during the week. So, I think I have to balance it out a bit better. Read for a bit, write for a bit. It fed my soul, my mind and allowed my brain time to process. Now I'm back into it full time!
That's great news Heather! Thanks for sharing your insights with us!
Wow! What an amazing post. This is so true for me at the moment and the answer really is a complicated one. I have the passion for my Novel but lacking the physical energy at the end of the work day. My heart is scarred from people who said I didn't have any creative talent when I was young and I wonder all the time am I giving up things because of my ambitions but I'm not sure I can have it all?
Hmmm, sounds like you have The Block. But no worries: it is a real condition and although the answer is a complicated one, there is a remedy, the beginning of which i mentioned in the post. For more details on how to remedy writers block check out my ebook!
Yay, I love your analogy of the bathroom sink and totally agree with your points about self-care. I don't like to call it writer's block either – seems a bit pretentious, to be honest – but I do think it's a genuine state that needs to be considered seriously. I've written about similar stuff on Emma Darwin's blog This Itch of Writing: http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/2013/07/postiversary-competition-second-prize-winner-loving-hating-and-writers-block-by-anne-goodwin.html
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Ollin
I thoroughly enjoyed this post, although I'm still on the fence regarding The Block!
As with all things, writers operate on a sliding scale. Some will churn out ten thousand words a day, others will feel chuffed if they turn out two hundred.
This scale is affected by many things; the list you give above seems to me to be a good way to outline them.
The one thing that I think is perhaps missing is circumstances. What many people can label as writer's block, is in fact struggling against challenging circumstances. By that, I don't mean negative ones, but for example, I work full-time, have a two and a half year old daughter, and also sustain a career in music. All of these things combine together to create a set of circumstances that could make it very difficult for me to create and sustain a regular writing routine.
So, the five things you mention, plus circumstances, can all affect our sliding scale. However (and this is where I disagree, sorry :)) I think that being blocked is a strong indicator that you are either a) not doing that thing you spoke of at the beginning, or b) have yet to create for yourself that creative writing routine.
Point A) I truly believe that if you are passionate about something, really passionate, you make it happen. Life, all six of those things we talked about, can make it very difficult, but if you are passionate, you MAKE it happen. If you aren't making it happen, then maybe it's not for you.
As for point B, it's no accident that people who have time set aside every day for writing, are more effective and creative than those who do it every now and then. And almost all I speak to who say they are blocked are in the latter camp. If you are passionate, you find the time, and make it happen.
I've ranted on, and I hope I haven't offended anyone. This is purely my opinion, and should be taken with a huge pinch of salt, or ignored entirely if necessary, but I think Joanna's blog is a good place for these sort of discussions to take place (Sorry, Jo :)
cheers
Mike
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us Mike! I think me and Joanna would agree that this is one of the reasons this post is up here: to allow you all to debate and discuss and agree or disagree!
We both love a lively discussion!
I see where you're coming from Mike, and what I would say is that it looks like writer's block is not a problem for you. Which is wonderful! I'm so happy for you. Unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone. As an exercise, I would ask you to listen closely to the next person that says they have writer's block, ask them questions with an open mind, without judgement. Really hear them out.
See what they see, put yourself int heir shoes. Maybe, what you may find is that their struggles are very different from yours and that what seems very simple and straightforward for you is not the case for them. Ask them to apply the advice you give, but just to try to see if it works for them. Then wait. If they report that it doesn't work, I would ask you to wonder whether the problem is a lot more deeper than you initially thought.
I think we can agree to disagree on whether writer's block is real, but I think that those who say that they do suffer from writer's blok, should be given the benefit of a doubt. And a good experiment is a wonderful idea. After all, if what you say works, it should work for everyone right? So test it out. Maybe you can help people with the argument that there is no such thing as the block. I am perfectly open to being proven wrong, haha. So if you do try it, let me know how it works! I'm curious to see your findings!
I’ve had problems other than writer’s block, but I have never had writer’s block itself. For me to say that I’ve got writer’s block is just my saying that I’ve been lazy. The question is *why* I have been or *why* am I being lazy? What am I allowing to get in my way?
I suppose one could call not being able to write writer’s block, if one wants to, but if you’re not writing because you’ve got other things on your mind, then by all means take care of those things first. It’s never a good thing to try to write when you’re distracted by anything. It stands to reason that if you get rid of those distractions, then you will get back to writing, but only *IF* you get back to writing. If you get rid of distractions, then still aren’t writing, and now there’s something else keeping you from writing, then take care of that, too, whatever it is. HOWEVER, if all you are doing is moving from one distraction or malady to another, and you never write and you call it writer’s block, then I call that nonsense. You clearly do not want to write bad enough to do so. Some people just haven’t the temerity to be that honest with themselves.
I had mentioned the late Jack M. Bickham in my previous comment. In one of his books on writing — I think it may have been the book I mentioned; in fact, I’m pretty sure it is — he mentions that he had experienced some trouble writing for a period of time, and he wasn’t sure what the problem was. When he took the time to examine what was going on, he discovered that for some reason he had gotten out of the habit of writing first thing in the day, and he was letting other things keep him from writing. Once he went back to writing first and doing other things later, he was fine and he again became productive with his writing.
I do wonder, though, if the real problem is that people allow other things to have priority over writing. I’ve been taught all my life, from writers I know and from books that I’ve read, that if you want to write, then you *need* to make it a priority. It might mean giving up an hour or two of your evening instead of watching television. It might mean getting up earlier than you used to do, or going to bed later, so you can have the time undisturbed to write. Nothing I have ever read ever gave credence to the idea of writer’s block. Given today’s technology, television is no excuse. Buy yourself a DVR and watch your favourite show *after* you have taken care of your writing, or, if it’s available, get yourself a Netflix membership, which will allow you to watch a show on DVD or on streaming video following your own schedule. For myself, I have a Netflix account. I watch an hour and a half to two hours of TV per day, and that’s it. Otherwise, my TV is off.
The exercise I cited by Bickham, I think, brings up another important point: Perhaps a person is simply one of those who likes to write only now and then, and not every day. I’m certainly not condemning that. However, I think it is highly important that we be brutally honest with ourselves and learn to recognize, if it is true, that perhaps we’re not cut out to be the kind of writer we would like to be. There are probably as many reasons for that as there are people who want to be writers, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the most common malady is that many people simply don’t have the drive to pursue writing as a career.
That brings to mind another way of examining the problem. Ask yourself: Do I have the motivation to do this? That is, do I have to force myself to do this the majority of the time? Or do I do this willingly, without anything external to motivate me? Or do others have to push me, to motivate me to do this? This gets at the point of whether or not you have the drive. After all, if you can’t get excited enough, or at least interested enough (even if you’re not excited, since excitement comes and goes) to write every day, if you can’t push yourself without someone else pushing you (and I mean most of the time), then while you may do well at writing, you probably haven’t the wherewithal to do it as a career. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
However, I think it’s obvious why I take the viewpoint that I do, and why I say I don’t believe in writer’s block. One thing is painfully obvious, though, regardless what one’s view is on this: Those who honestly and truly want to write, do everything they can to do so. They don’t have to be told to do it, they don’t have to be pushed to do it, they just do it. If they feel blocked, then they either write anyway and ignore that “block,” or they do whatever it takes to diagnose why this is happening so that they can get on with their writing. One thing they don’t do is sit about moaning and groaning about being blocked.
Gary