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Writer's Block

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Paul Whybrow

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I don't recall any of us talking about this fearsome obstruction before, and I came across an opinion by the great Philip Pullman, with which I heartily agree:

'I don't believe in it (writer's block). All writing is difficult. The most you can hope for is a day when it goes reasonably easily. Plumbers don't get plumber's block, and doctors don't get doctor's block; why should writers be the only profession that gives a special name to the difficulty of working, and then expects sympathy for it?'

I've never suffered from being 'blocked'. I didn't do any creative writing for years, but that was more down to depression and a lack of self-belief. I know that it could be argued that not believing in yourself is the cement that holds writer's block together, but there are still techniques to get things flowing again.

If I stop feeling the creative flow, slipping out of the groove, I'll do something else. Editing is always there, and it's sufficient purgatory to encourage a return to creative writing. An alternative is to make plans for future novels in my series of psychological thrillers, jotting down ideas and web addresses for relevant research in folders on my desktop. I find that writing poetry or song lyrics sometimes frees up ideas relevant to my WIP.

If you are affected by writer's block, just consider what it's made of. It could be a great big block of sugar, which (forgive the crudity) if you just pee on it will dissolve. By that, I mean release your inner demon— writing down what makes you mad about books in general, specific characters in your story and how the hell did that author get published when you can't find an agent? Your anger is mightier than any temporary glitch.

A more genteel way to destroy an obstruction is to go around it. If you're stuck on chapter 18, throw some paper airplane messages ahead for what occurs in chapter 20. Whether you're a 'planner' or a 'pantser' you've still got an idea of where your story is headed, so jot down key phrases you intend to use, chuck in an unexpected development or think of a way to include a favourite word you've always wanted to use.

Creating a book is like taking a walk in a forest—there's more than one path through the trees.

Have any of you been blocked, and how did you deal with it?

calvin-hobbes-writers-block-e1411294957599.jpg
 
I first started losing momentum and desire about 20 months ago because I lost a friend to cancer, and as related misfortune, direct interaction with some other writer friends I'd been working with for years. Then I had a literal near-death incident of my own last August, and had to come back from that. Instead of a little writing here and there, I stopped altogether for a while. Then I decided to come back to this new version of Litopia. It worked.
 
I first started losing momentum and desire about 20 months ago because I lost a friend to cancer, and as related misfortune, direct interaction with some other writer friends I'd been working with for years. Then I had a literal near-death incident of my own last August, and had to come back from that. Instead of a little writing here and there, I stopped altogether for a while. Then I decided to come back to this new version of Litopia. It worked.
Sorry to hear all that. Sounds like you've been through a tough time -- well done for getting through it.
 
Re 'writer's block' -- obviously it exists in the form of a temporary lack of inspiration regarding what to write next. It seems absurd of Pullman to pretend otherwise. But it's also absurdly self-indulgent of people to use it as an excuse for being unproductive. There's always something to do, whether it's editing, or doing research for the WIP or some envisaged future work, etc etc. Perhaps that's what he meant -- that you can't use a short-term glitch in the creative flow as an excuse to do nothing. But that hardly needs saying...
 
I think Pullman, much as I loved his Dark Materials trilogy, is off target here. Whilst 'block' may be somewhat binary (suggesting a sort of creative on/off switch) other professions do get periods of, shall we call it suboptimal performance. It is independent of their inherent talent.
Take Tom Daley at the recent Olympics. Failed to even qualify for the 10m final whereas on another day he'd have most likely taken home a medal. And doctors do get their off days. As an endoscopist there are times when everything clicks and the hardest cases go like a dream, and sometimes everything is just that much harder and things don't go just as well. Not disastrous, just not perfect. No explanation other than one can't be at the top of ones game all the time.
I agree that this shouldn't be used as an excuse for not writing for swathes of time but to deny it even happens is just being an ostrich. Perhaps it's the wording he objects to? Maybe "Writer's Treacle" is a more accurate description of what happens?
 
I'm in agreement with Pullman, though I also agree with Bernard--I actually think you're saying essentially the same thing. Everyone, regardless of what they do in life, has good days and bad days. Good years and bad years. Pullman's just asking the question, why do writers think they're somehow special and exempt from the expectation that they'll accomplish something, regardless of how uninspired they are at the moment? I think it comes back to a conversation we've had on and off in various threads here about professionalism--if you're serious about being a 'professional' you'll do your best to work through those "blocked" days, finding productive writing-related things to do. If you're not committed to it, you'll just stop and do other things when you're not interested in writing. It's the difference between a hobby and a job, and you can approach writing either way. And that's fine. But, no, I don't have sympathy for writers who say they've got writer's block and therefore can't do anything but sit around eating bonbons...
 
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