What is Writer’s Block? and How to Beat It

So many times in our reading travels we come across this term writer’s block. It is often introduced to us as a curse that befalls every writer. Yes even the greats we are told suffered from this mysterious malady. But what is it? Well put simply and in plain English writers block is the inability to get anything worthwhile onto a page, whether its paper, or Word processor. The unhappy fact and the various remedies surrounding this ailment I’ll attempt to sift through as I write. Writing is an art form, just as a painter begins with a blank canvas, so a wordsmith is faced with the empty page.

 Much is said of suffering for ones art, however often this has more to do with luck, popularity and staying power, rather than any artistic merit. Writing is a discipline and has to be learned over time. There is nothing to match experience. But of course we must not forget, or disregard inspiration; for it is this that gives the writer the tools to finish the job and so furnish the world with new creations time and time again. Writers block can strike at any time during the writing process and it is often this fear that becomes a reality because of, or in spite of original thought and creativity.

 As a writer words are our tools, our amour and our currency. So the first thing to do if no white billowing sails of inspirational prose appears over the foolscap horizon, is to step aside from your work and plunge into another’s. Read is my utmost advice. How often have I been lost for want of ideas, only to find a dozen, or more by simply picking up a paper, or glancing through a magazine. That is nothing to say of new perspectives that may come your way from reading fiction and non-fiction books. In the modern age most of us work on computers and very few of our number are not hooked up to the Internet. The World Wide Web is like a glorious melting pot. You can find almost anything online, if you look hard enough. If its ideas, or new thoughts you’re looking for, just try surfing the net and you’ll come back with plenty.

 Some people will say going for a walk can help overcome a block. Now you may enjoy walking in the park, woods, or by a lake. But is this truly going to inspire you to write? Unless of course you’re a natural history writer. What we need is adventure if we’re going to find ideas and creativity. My proposal for going for a walk is this. There are two walks to be considered for greater idea accumulation. First we have the new ideas walk. To go on this kind of journey, you need to choose an interesting destination, art gallery, museum, exhibition or show. Choosing any of these will give you new sensations, which may in turn lead to new ideas.

 The other kind of walk and my personal favourite is the adventure walk. To go on an adventure is really very easy. Go out to your nearest train station and look at the boards. Choose a station that you’ve never been to. Even better if you’ve never heard of the place before, as you can have no preconceived ideas about it. Buy your ticket and board your own mystery tour. On the way to your strange destination, your mind will be considering many different possibilities concerning what you will see and

Discover when you get to your journey’s end. Of course your experience at the end of your days adventure may be good, or bad. Whatever the outcome to your adventure, you can be sure it will have filled your mind with a great many new thoughts. And isn’t that what we’re looking for. You can of course turn your adventure into something larger, perhaps a weekend, or even a week. Whatever you decide it will be worthwhile if it inspires you to return with enthusiasm to your work.

 Another handy device for getting your mind out of a mental rut is the finish off the story method. This is easy and fun. Turn on the TV and begin flicking through the channels. Stop on one and pay attention to what’s happening. Once you have an idea of the basic structure, turn it off. Now with a notebook write your own finish, your ending. This can be great fun in the case of soap operas. Watch any soap halfway through turn off and then finish it. A more interesting variation to this is as follows. Watch the first ten minutes of a program; now turn it of for ten. Write your version for ten minutes and then turn it back on to see just where your story stands against the one playing on the screen.

 Hopefully you will now have a few weapons to use the next time the dreaded W.B. comes to town. It’s all a matter of staying positive and making the most of opportunity. If an opportunity doesn’t seem to be around, well make one, or at least make the best of the situation. Creativity, inspiration and skill are always beneath the surface, its up to us to liberate them from the depths.