I remember having a discussion with friend of mine about Writer’s Block and it was referred to as a desert.
I’m trapped in the middle of Writer’s Block Desert
Waiting for the Rain of Inspiration
Carried to me by the Winds of Motivation
They come to me occasionally
But the desert sucks them dry before I can gather it up in my hands
And I’m alone in the desert again
Everyone deals with Writer’s Block differently.
For some, it’s easy to deal with; just walk away from their project for a while.
For others (myself, for example), it’s not so easy.
People always say to me, “Well, don’t over-think it.”
That’s much easier said than done, especially coming from people who either don’t write or people who don’t write nearly as often as I do.
It’s easier to recover from Writer’s Block when you don’t give yourself a goal or deadline, because you can walk away from it for as long as you need to.
There was a point where I didn’t even look at my novel for over two years.
Not all Writer’s Block comes from over-thinking though.
For myself, personally, I don’t really think much about writing.
Well, I think about my story and characters and whatnot.
I don’t think about actually writing though.
I don’t know always know where the Writer’s Block stems from.
I don’t always know how to deal with it.
I’m not going to sit here on my aunt’s couch and preach to you and pretend that I’m some amazing writer that knows everything there is to know.
All I can do is tell you how I personally cope with Writer’s Block.
The answer for me: Everything.
Yes, everything.
I do lots of things instead of sitting at the computer or my notebook just stressing over the words that my hands won’t form.
I read, listen to music, watch movies, make tea, cook, bake sweets, drink soda and energy drinks, take a shower, check the mail, examine the inside of the fridge 300 times, fiddle with my necklace….
I mean, what could be better for stress than curling up on the couch with some junk food and a good movie?
One of my personal favorites: A Totino’s Three Cheese Pizza, a Diet Coke and Sherlock Holmes (the one with Robert Downey Jr.).
My second favorite: A giant cup of Earl Grey tea and my sketchbook.
And when all else fails, I take a nap.
There is no single cause of Writer’s Block, and therefore there is no single solution.
The best advice that I can give you is this: Just step away for a bit. Whether it’s five minute or five hours or five days.
Some people will say “Just write. Write when you want to and write when you don’t want to. Write when you can and write when you can’t.”
Personally, I think that turns my passion into a chore, and that intensifies the Block.
But it may work for you. Maybe you just need to write something else.
If you’re stuck on that one scene, just sit back and look out the window and write what you see.
Take a notebook and go somewhere populated. Examine everyone around you and see who stands out to you. Write down everything you notice about them. Turn them into characters. Create a life and a personality based on what you see and hear.
But no matter what you do, don’t give up.
As I said earlier, I’ve stepped away from my novel for over two years.
I didn’t give up though; I’m still working on it and I’ve written more than ever.
