Friday, May 13, 2011

Writer's Block

What is writer’s block? Is it truly something that happens or is it merely something we talk ourselves into believing. Writer’s block has afflicted me lately. However, the more I think about it, the more I throw aside the idea of writer’s blocker.

My thoughts are blocked from what I want to write. I have a solid plot. I have run through different scenes in my mind while I’m driving. However, when I open up my laptop my mind shuts down from what I know needs to be typed. Is that writer’s block or simply a procrastination technique?

Life gets in the way. We all know that. Not one of us lives the life that we paint in our books. I know I have used life as an excuse many times to not put the fingers to the keyboard. Life will never change – there will be stressors, crises, changes. A writer writes through them.

So for now I sit at the keyboard and if I can put all the words I want out there, I write partial thoughts. They will blossom fully as the story unfolds. The excuse of writer’s block has been banned from my vocabulary.

What about you? Do you believe in writer’s block? If so, how do you push through it?

5 comments:

Sheila Tenold said...

Writer's block, for me, is when I don't write for a while. I'll stare at the blank sheet on the screen and force myself to type.

I use a long synopsis as my guide. Sometimes the scene is interesting, which helps tremendously. Other times it feels flat. Then I have to write approximately thirty minutes before my mind switches into the zone where my fingers fly over the keyboard.

Emma Leigh said...

Very good point, Sheila. It does tend to happen when I don't write for a while too. Thanks for stopping by.

Mona Risk said...

For me the problem is not writer's block but rather finding the time to wrtite the many stories crowding my mind.

I may stop writing in a story when suddenly the plot doesn't make sense, then I set aside the ms for a long time, maybe a year or two until I can look at it differently and the ideas flow again.
www.monarisk.blogspot.com

Dawn Marie Hamilron said...

Hi Emma, There is an article in the May RWR on this topic worth reading. Defeating Your Own Worst Enemy--Yourself. I find I procrastinate when I'm feeling insecure with my writing, which usually happens after a poor showing in a contest. My best approach is to walk away from that ms. for a while and work on a different project.

Josie said...

Emma,
Writer's block? Is that the same as avoidance? I'll sometimes think of every excuse---cleaning the house, cooking, etc., to not write. Once I sit down, though, the words usually come.