Writing to Write

Since I'm experiencing a bit of writer's block lately, it just dawned on me. Why don't I write about it? What is writer's block really? Is it burnout, is it overwhelm, is it lack of inspiration, or are those all the same thing anyway? In my experience, writer's block has typically come when I'm trying to ideate too many things at once, so perhaps for me, it is overwhelm. Writing comes to me in waves and typically revolves around whatever I'm inundated with at the time, whether professionally or personally. This may come across as a bit of a hobbyist problem, and may seem unfamiliar to seasoned professional writers who have trained themselves to work around writer’s block or maybe use the time for other pursuits that contribute to their health and/or well-being.

I propose that rather than putting writing on a shelf for however long it takes to restore the urge to write again, that you push it a little bit and just write. Write about anything you see, smell, feel, hear, whatever the case may be, just write. Much like the practice of free writing is meant to clear the mental clutter and get our synapses firing again, just writing about the way the light is shining through that leaf on the tree in your window, or perhaps right above your head out on the coffee shop terrace, can start to fan the flames of the urge to write again. I am currently in between two writing assignments, one about the automotive lifestyle and another about travel in the Pacific Northwest, so between the two genres, I believe I was getting overwhelmed ideating original content and found myself either being too vague or too cliché, and I had to stop writing for a time and refocus.

Rather than just freewriting words on a page, which can be useful, writing about specific subjects can often inadvertently lead to whole stories around that particular thing that you probably never even knew existed. I previously used the example of writing about a leaf on a tree and perhaps examining the way the sunlight was shining through it. I used that example, because early on in my writing journey, having recently moved from the east coast of the United States living in a very urban environment, to the lush natural environment of the Pacific Northwest, I was immediately inspired. I was inspired to re-examine life from the perspective of the possibilities of exploring a woodland environment versus navigating the concrete forest of the city. I began finding myself on hikes through the woods, something I had not done since I was a kid growing up in New England. One day, while sitting at a coffee shop that was once a residential home and setting up to write on this coffee shop’s outdoor terrace, I noticed a tree was casting shade over this little corner table. Once seated I looked up to see if there was anything in the tree I should worry about falling onto the table as I sat there. I was immediately drawn to this one little leaf that had the most gorgeous backlighting of the summer sun illuminating all the tiny details inside the leaf, and I was thrust into a very happy memory of my childhood I’d long forgotten in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

That simple noticing of a leaf, inspired me to write down this feeling and as I wrote, I recalled in almost precise chronological detail this memory of the first time I was allowed to leave my yard and go across the street to hike through the woods and join my friends on their expedition to find the beat up old tractor in the middle of the woods. One of the first stops we took to rest on this journey that was all of 1 or 2 hours in total, was under this one particular tree at the edge of this wide-open field. I’d seen a very similar leaf, illuminated by the sun and remembered being fascinated, if only for a few seconds, by the intricate pattern of spines and veins, or whatever the technical term for those inner structure of the leaf are. So that simple exercise of “why don’t I just write about this leaf to try and spark something else”, turned into a work of non-fiction that definitely bordered fiction in some parts as I’m sure my memory was running with my imagination at some points.

So wrapping up this point, don’t count out the small acts of the bigger effort. You don’t necessarily need to sit down and write that next novel if there’s something blocking your momentum. You can begin with a simple noticing, and a short story of what is unfolding in your mind as you notice that one simple thing, or even all of the exciting flights of imagination unfolding as you write about the busy coffee shop and all the characters coming in and out of it. Whatever it may be, don’t be afraid to write on. The journey of a thousand pages starts with one simple letter. That’s my adaptation on an age old inspirational quote. What’s the first letter on your page today? Run with it.