Ahhhh, writer’s block! I have been waiting for you. I knew you would come for me eventually.
It has taken five years for it to hit, so I would say that’s not too bad of a run.
Writer's block is defined by Wikipedia as “a condition in which the author is unable to produce a new work or experiences a creative slowdown.”
Apparently it happens to all authors at all stages of one’s career and can last days, weeks or even months. Uh oh!
Even the big wigs suffer from time to time. While writing his epic novel The Stand, Stephen King hit a wall and getting around it led to a deadly plot twist.
Joan Didion, author of The Year of Magical Thinking, said if she felt stuck so she put the manuscript in a bag and into the freezer. This was pre-laptop!
I have always thought it helped to have a deadline and for me that’s weekly.
Topics usually come pretty easily. I am thinking about this column even when I’m not actively writing it.
An author is always on the lookout for inspiration. It can come in many different ways. I always try to pay attention to current events, social media and my surroundings. It's important to keep an eye and ear out for what lots of people seems to be talking about.
What's in the headlines? What are the current trends?
Sometimes the subjects are very obvious — COVID, the war in Ukraine, the Oscar slap, the comeback of Tiger Woods.
Others just come as the result of everyday life — gas prices, the cost of groceries, telemarketing scams.
Maybe the problem isn’t really the lack of material but the desire not to repeat oneself.
It's so easy to do complaint pieces — so much annoys me that it's easy to write those articles. However, a little negativity goes a long way.
Despite the fact COVID is still following us all like a spooky shadow, we are all sick and tired of it, right? Until something new happens, what more is there to say?
The war in Ukraine — we are seeing it play out hour by hour — I feel the need to not think about it sometimes and I assume readers may not want to, either.
Maybe it is similar to songwriting or art. The creators have to wait for inspiration to strike.
I googled what to do to unblock and experts suggested a few things:
1. Try something other than writing... Been there done that.
2. Get to the root of the problem... Let me see. The world is a big mess and I am despondent?
3. Write the article badly at first. At first?
Authorities in the field always say it's important to write about what you know. So, this week, I know I have zip. Hey, Seinfeld made millions off a TV comedy about absolutely nothing.
Maybe there's something to this nothing.
