I would agree with WatsOn that blogger’s block is serious. Years ago when confronted with a writing task, I would stare at a blank sheet of paper while lightly tapping the typewriter. Hopefully , I would get zapped by inspiration and merrily pound the keys to a new material. But that does not happen often.
Then came the word processors. Where the pounding was replaced by keyboard tapping. I didn’t have to stare at a blank sheet anymore. It became the monitor. I went through all the types: the green, the ember, the SVG, etc. Still it was staring at something.
But this is not about the evolution of the tools used for writing.
So I went on-line and wiki’d Writer’s Block. I found some interesting facts. It was more serious than I thought.
What is it? It’s a phenomenon involving temporary loss of ability to begin or continue writing, usually due to lack of inspiration or creativity.
What causes it?
- Mood disorders like depression and anxiety. That can’t be good. Now I have to worry about my mental state.
- Socio-economic circumstances. Do I have to be rich or poor to be able to write? That can’t be right, too.
How long does it last?
- A few hours to a few decades. Henry Roth suffered from it for sixty years.
How to get out if it?
Some authorities have recommended the following to those suffering from writer’s block (see Peterson, 2007):
- Scheduling time to write and working, regardless of the quality of the output (Silvia, 2007).
- Engaging in brief periods of “freewriting” or “mindwriting,” in which people impulsively write whatever comes to mind (Boice, 1990).
- Using writers’ exercises such as “chunking“. They use many websites that contain numerous creative writing exercises. Writers read an exercise, and do it.
- Taking a break, meditating, or doing relaxation exercises to relieve any pressure on oneself and on the writing.
- Doing something out of the ordinary. If writer’s block comes from a lack of new ideas, attempts to spark creativity by going somewhere new or doing something different can be useful.
- Returning to the writing after a lapse of a day or two.
- Write a basic plot outline of the story, if having problems keeping the story on the rails.
- Brainstorming at the beginning of the writing can help the writer by relating every point to another.
- Reading, watching movies or plays, or similar activities that might bring inspiration.
- Reading a book.
If only I knew about all these, I would not have had to stare at the monitor for a good number of hours! Now I blame the monitor for my failing eyesights because it stared back at me.
Of course, you can’t write if you are in a bad mood and poor at the same time. But I know many writers who say they are poor and have mood disorders.
For this session, I took advise number 1.
