Thoughts on Writers Block

This is a response to Sarah Parker's piece about writers' block, which you can read here:

I've written about writers' block before, here.

The main take-away is that the inhale is as important as the exhale. You can't serve from an empty, cup, right? You need to take stuff in and let your brain masticate it and mush it about and spit out ideas.

I've had a very (very, very) long spell of not-writing in the past, but that wasn't writers' block. That was me deciding that committing too much of me to a page was a stupid, dangerous idea, and I wasn't going to do it anymore.

There is nothing that unclothes us more thoroughly than raw, naked words.

Thanks to lockable laptops and smartphones with passwords, it's less of a worry. Now I'm stupid/insane/arrogant enough to actually put my words out there for people to look at. Yikes.

As of right now, I'm eight months in to my personal story every day challenge.

There are some days, you can slash and the red flows generously, unctiously. There are other days, it's effort and agony to squeeze a single drop of black sludge.

Squeeze anyway. Squeeze harder. Sure, it might bruise, but only on the inside.

Anyway, bruises can be beautiful, no? Creativity comes from pain. So squeeze.

Piercing a mind-boil and letting the goo flow is messy and raw. It hurts sometimes... but it hurts good. The deeper I go, the more authentic I am, the greater the swell of soul-pus and ink and the better it feels. Probably the more distasteful to some people, as well. I don't care. I squeeze unctuously. Without thinking, in that moment, of the intrusive and jarring speculum of other people's opinions.

Naked Truth

Here are Sarah's questions, and my answers.

Q. Do you struggle with writer's block?

If by that, you mean, have I had a day where I haven't been able to write anything.... No. not anymore. Not for eight months.

If the question was "have I struggled with", then yes. Daily practise makes the block a thing of the past. Writing begets writing. Some days are harder than others, but it's always possible to put something on a page.

Q. Is writer's block even real? Why or why not?

It's kind of real. There are times when writing is harder, sure. When inspiration isn't striking, when it isn't fun and easy. But impossible to write at all? No. It is always possible to lace up your shoes and put some words on a page. It doesn't matter if it's crap. It doesn't matter if it's hard.

Rhythm is important, I think. The first step to not sucking at farming is not trying to harvest in the planting season. If ideas aren't coming, this is a strong cue to read.

Q. How do you cope with writer's block?

I don't. At least, not anymore!

Q. Is there a solution to writer's block?

The short answer is trite, annoying and exactly what you expect.

Write.

The longer answer is: pause. Inhale. Consume. Read. Listen. Watch. Absorb. Think. Mull. Percolate. Then write.

Q. How are you feeling about the quality of your writing right now?

It can always be better.

Q. Do you have any suggestions for improving a person's creative writing?

Daily practise!

Q. Do you feel as though you've reached a plateau?

Not right at this moment, but I have. The trick is to keep going.

Q. Do you feel as though you're at the place you'd like to be as a writer? Why or why not?

Well, I want to be a millionaire stealth signing copies of my book in airports, so no. But I think I'm getting better, and I am happy with that.

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Thank you for reading!