“Anyone who’s ever quit smoking knows that feeling. And that’s me if I don’t get to write. It feels like I’m jonesing.” Douglas Coupland
I used to think writer’s block was for wimps. For people that lacked the willpower to sit down at the computer and just get to it, and frankly, probably weren’t meant to be writers in the first place. I have recently become one of those wimps.
For just over a month now, I have not worked on my manuscript and having been feeling very shitty about it, a fact which has infused my reluctance with a thick layer of guilt and caused me to actually start FEARING my laptop. Today, however, I finally decided to confront the situation–and my Toshiba and try to figure out where I went wrong.
Though I still am not yet over my wall, I think I am starting to understand where it came from.
Somewhere between trying to get a job and signing a mortgage, and updating banking information and managing an overflowing basket of really annoying but important tasks, that thing I once loved to do has become Yet Another Item to be ticked off the list.
Though I’m not sure how yet, I think if I really I want to get through this block, I need to re-discover what it is I love about writing, and what it is in turn that makes me a writer.
Perhaps you need a time out, just walk away for a bit, slow yourself down for say 30 minutes in the day, stare out a window, loose yourself people watching, or looking at a tree, the mind will fire again, it might just need that time out. Good luck.
A good thought. I think I will go and do just that right now on my lunch break. Thanks for the thought 🙂
Welcome! Hope it helps! (;
Try this book is great – http://dreamwritepublishing.ca/retail/books/writing-prompt-journey-road-your-creativity
Ooooh! Thanks, I love writing books! I will def check it out.
My pleasure.
I think a break from writing is great advice. But I would add that I would not take a break from creative thinking. I do my best work when I am not writing, but thinking about my characters or the story. I mentally play the scene, changing parts I didn’t like until I have it how I dreamed.
Hope that helps.
Yes, that does…and gives me something to do on my bike rides to work. Thanks!
I’ve been struggling with writer’s block myself for a while now. While the style of our writing is quite different, given my focus on content for games, the causes sound similar,with work and other commitments causing problems.
I’ve found that trying to write about things out of the norm for me have helped a little, and I’ll be having a break from any attempts at writing anything in depth for a couple of weeks while I soak in some wonderful world cinema at the Canberra International Film Festival. Hopefully after that I’ll be able to move past the block.
I hope you find a way past yours soon.
Sounds like you have some enjoyable days ahead of you, I’m jealous. I def like the idea of taking some writing risks and will have to give that a shot. Thanks!