Writer's Block

Writer’s Block

Perhaps I should start by touching the proverbial wood as I say I have never experienced that feared phenomena “Writer’s Block”.  Of course there have been many times when I have stared hopelessly at my screen or notebook and have felt that the words are stuck somewhere or, worse, are deliberately hiding from me.  However, I have never considered these times (or ‘periods’, as they sometimes last much longer), as moments of “Writer’s Block.”  Perhaps they are.  Perhaps I am living in denial.  But I have always viewed them as part of the ebb and flow of writing; I have seen these times as unavoidable, perhaps even welcome.

At times like these, I have several options: sometimes I try to keep writing in spite of the difficulties.  This can feel irritating and useless, a bit like insisting on walking around with your shoes on the wrong feet: at best uncomfortable, at worst a painful waste of time.  However, I have often returned to what I have written in these moments to find myself pleasantly surprised.  Some of it isn't half bad, some perhaps even salvageable.

I often have several writing projects on the go at once - all incredibly varied - so if I am struggling with one, I will sometimes focus my attention on another piece of writing to see if that helps to 'unblock' things, or to inspire other ideas.  If writing is completely impossible and seems to be getting worse with every scribbled-out word, or angry backspacing, I will take a complete break from writing.  This could be for a couple of hours or a couple of months. (Thankfully my writing is - at the moment - 'just for pleasure', so I don't have the restrictions of deadlines. Perhaps my relaxed attitude towards Writer's Block would change if I am ever lucky enough to find myself hurtling towards publishing deadlines...)

In this time, I don't worry about my writing; in fact, I often don't think about it at all.  I do other things that inspire me: I read books by a whole variety of authors about a whole variety of topics and times and places; I read articles and blogs; I paint and draw and doodle; I go to places that inspire me and interest me; I chat to fellow writers and friends and share ideas; I am trying to teach myself guitar; I spend a lot of time on Facebook (and, more recently, Twitter) ...

And in all of these not-writing activities, I never once feel plagued by the curse of Writer's Block.  I enjoy whatever I am doing and don't feel guilty or naughty for not writing.  I don't experience moments of panic.  I don't wake up sweating with fear in the middle of the night. 

In fact, after an indefinable period of time, I return to writing feeling refreshed.  Maybe even excited.  Without having noticed how or when, I find that new ideas and characters and plots have somehow seeped into my mind.  And as I start to write again, I watch them spill out onto the page and wonder where they have come from.

Perhaps the issue of "Writer's Block" is more to do with what we call it and what power we give to it. There are many books and articles about "overcoming" or "beating" the "debilitating" "difficulty" of "Writer's Block".  But what if we viewed it in a less threatening light?  What if we didn't see it as something that has power over us, but as an inevitable part of the process of writing?

What if we called it "Writer's Pause" or "Writer's Rest"; or, if we are being very literary, "Writer's Hiatus"?