A writer’s block. A malady understood by only .1% populace. An incurable & inexplicable phenomena that afflicts both the wanna be & the established writers equally.
So, what is it that causes the curious case of a writer’s block?
If creativity is a divine gift , is writer’s block a punishment by a not-so-happy divine hand? 😛
If creativity is 99% practice, how the hell is one supposed to practise the inability to practise something ?
Not-so-easy to answer questions!
Let’s start with the basic one.
What is a writer’s block???
The exact feeling can be figuratively compared to a bad dream where one is falling down a steep hill without any bodily control & wakes up with a sudden jerk.
The meaning of the phrase is the inability to; write a sentence, possess a linear thought process /flow of ideas, or sometimes, a condition when the ability to write even the next word is lost, for a week, a month or, in my case, a number of months now.
It feels like the heart might give away completely the moment the next word will come out of my mouth/ pen. The thing is it is too lame to be expressed, yet happens to the best of us.
“Writing about a writer’s block is better than not writing at all.” 🙂 – Charles Bukowski
I can’t fathom the depths of failure that writer’s blocks brings upon someone. It’s different for everyone. And I’m sure the easy answer is to look at it as a technical issue rather than a psychological one (a reality of over-thinking writers).
But here’s what helps me at times, & I’m sure the answer is different for each one of us.
Read a thought-provoking book
Solo travel
Meditation
Strenuous physical activity
The art of doing nothing
Any one of the above, or when I am lucky enough, all the above mentioned activities slowly steer me away from the wretched blockage of creative energy, & allows me to relax enough to write naturally.
I guess more or less, the lack of inspiration or monotony is why writer’s block manifests. And doing that one thing that always takes you on a “joy-ride” is the key to unlock the much-dreaded blockage.
Do share your ideas on how you get past your block in the comments section. 🙂
To write or not to write, that is the question?
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