What is Writer's Block?

[novella]

What is Writer's Block?

I'm not trying to be funny here. I would like to know what people are referring to when they refer to Writer's Block?

I can't help thinking that it really doesn't exist.

Does a person with Writer's Block really feel the inability to write anything? Or is it just a directional issue with one work (which I would characterize as an inability to plot, not an inability to write).

As a one-time journalist and long-time (fiction and nonfiction) editor, I think writer's block is something that only fiction writers profess to get, which is why I think it's actually something else entirely. My experience as a fiction writer is that when I feel stuck, it's typically a plot issue that I have to write through until I find the right direction.

Experiences?

How many people have ever kept a journal or diary in which they made entries like "nothing happened today"?

 

[King Kovifor]

Writer's Block for me is when I can't think of an idea when I'm writing a story! It happens a lot. lol.

 

[Cathy C]

I think this is one of those terms that's somewhat loosely defined, and depends on the person you're talking to.

For myself, I can't say I've experienced "writer's block." If I'm having trouble with a particular chapter or book, I can usually switch to a non-fiction article or even a short story and still put words on paper (or on screen).

For some, though, I think it DOES exist. Whether it is caused by a temporary chemical imbalance or depression or the beginnings of senility/Alzheimer's, there are people I know who, at times and very literally, cannot string words into a coherent sentence, either on paper or out loud. Writer's block is very, very real to them. It would be really scary to know the meanings of words, but not be able to put them together to express thoughts.

 

[Prolixic]

I think Writer's Block is a function of deadlines and the pressure to produce that are put on professonal writers. If I feel like I've got writers block I just quit and go do something else. Folks who write for a living don't have that luxury. Sometimes when you must you can't. novella sees it as an issue that you have to write through but a non-professional wouldn't look at it that way.

That said, I've heard of folks with dozens of books, shorts, articles, etc. that get completely blocked up. Probably they just need to fly down to Cabo San Lucas for a week or so and do anything but write. Everyone needs a vacation some time.

 

[Eugen]

My writer's block is when I feel a need/ desire to be productive, yet have no inspired ideas with or without effort even with time on my hands; everything I attempt looks dull and boring and contrived, nothing flows smoothly. At this stage, I tell the computer where to go, and fill in the space with books, movies or other creative activity, which normally provides a cure. Sometimes just 'cleaning up' old work can be an inspiration in itself. Thankfully, if this is indeed writer's block, it has never lasted long enough for concern, and could simply be indicative of a malevolent flu bug or fatigue.

 

[novella]

A funky mind exercise

Sometimes to get a new idea or loosen up my thought process, I just blindly splash a string of letters and spaces onto the screen and then try to get some words and ideas out of them.

Like,

lkgaalkmndsoirnajrmnekjbhia dsklliedkrmek a glkj adlkfjljwe

might turn into

Like a gal of a like mind
Evening and night are mine
The Russian is afraid,
Dislikes the lies and songs
He cries for me,
cringes and kills another girl
because he is too addled
because his bed is filled with weeds

You'd be surprised at the imagery and associations you can get out of something like that.

 

[Eugen]

Beautiful, novella! from such garblegook. I'd never have the patience. Ever done the Enneagram? Personality types? Sometimes, I am 'why sit when I can sleep'. You must love word games, then.

 

[novella]

Yeah, I do the London Times crossword before I go to sleep. I've been having a recurring dream that my job is to invent new meanings for words. Wonder where that came from?

(BTW, that exercise took about three minutes. It's really not time-consuming at all. The key thing is not to sweat the outcome, just write whatever comes to mind without forcing meaning or censorship.)

I never heard of the Enneagram. What is it?

 

[Eugen]

Amazing skill you have, or hobby shall we call it?

I never heard of the Enneagram. What is it?

The Enneagram is something about personality types, which divides the human race into a scale of 1 - 9. Rather broadly, 1 is the perfectionist; 2 the 'I love everyone to death'; 3 the success driven; 4 the typical Frenchman, loves beauty, art, style; 5 the headperson, academic; 6 the 'procedure' person, driven by laws and fear; 7 the typical Irish, happy-go-lucky; 8 the aggressive personality; 9 the most laid-back you can ever come across. Ideally, we tend to have a predominant characteristic with two bordering ones, if you think of the Enneagram as a circle.

There, another passing thing to get you into creativity; figuring out what personality type you are!