Writer's Block: A Myth?

Every writer experiences it. Every writer is perplexed by it; hours of work, and now what? The limit has been reached, that mental wall has been slammed into full force. The formidable monster of something collectively known as Writer's Block has reared its ugly head once more. But what if it doesn't exist?

Every time I sit in front of my computer, story plan in mind or in hand, something reverberates through my thoughts. Writer's block doesn't exist. It is the fear of failure. If you don't write, you cannot fail. Or so my English Literature teacher, Mr Shields, would have me believe.

Now I'm sitting on the fence with this one, and I'm sure they'd be plenty of people who'd disagree with the above statement. Some days, I will agree with my teacher, and once I actually force myself to write, the words flow like water through my hands. It just all...works. And I agree with the failure bit, too. I have this epic and oh-so-perfect scene planned in my head, and if I can't translate that onto the page, what good am I as a writer?

And then there are the days when Writer’s Block seems very real indeed. I cannot, under any circumstances force myself to write, and I am a great believer that creative works should come naturally; they really shouldn’t be dragged out from the depths of the creative pit, all teeth and nails. Plot bunnies should come willingly, and I have come up with a list of ways to tempt them out, whether there is such thing as Writer’s Block or not.

• Take a break. Go for a walk or make a cup of tea. This will give your brain a rest, plus the added bonus of a lovely cuppa/breath of fresh air.

• Write something from a different genre. For instance, if you’re writing an academic essay, write a piece of creative writing, and vice versa (advice from Mr Shields himself).

• Make an inspiration book of extracts and pictures that inspire you. If you feel like it, section different parts of the book into moods, and that way, a chapter that requires a particular tone can be inspired by the reference points in those individual sections.

• Listen to a new piece of music. This is particularly useful for people that like to analyse songs.

• Move somewhere else. A change of scene can do wonders. Believe it or not, throughout National Novel Writing Month, I set up camp in my bath. Cold, but it got the work done.

• Read through a newspaper and find an article that interests you. Write a story about it

• Take a walk. Note down anything that interests you, or take a picture to reference later.

• Have a shower. I don’t know about you but my most profound moments occur to me when I’m showering.

• Sleep on it. Chances are the more frustrated you get with your writing, the harder it will be to continue. The best ideas come just before you go to sleep.

• Keep a dream journal, or even a normal diary. They will provide an excellent source of inspiration when you hit that ‘wall’.

• Read. Understanding the different dynamics of writing is key.

And lastly, write an article or tutorial. It worked for me.