Writer's Block: The Myth. The Stupidity. The Dumb Excuse

I always believe in my favorite soccer team. Though they suck – and they really do at the moment – I always think they’ll win when the game starts. God, however, I’m not so sure I believe in. At least not the God mentioned in the world’s first bestseller, the Bible. One thing I’m certain I don’t believe in, though, is writer’s block. God may or may not exist, but writer’s block definitely doesn’t. 

“There's no such thing as writer's block. That was invented by people in California who couldn't write.”
― Terry Pratchett

If it was really invented by people in California, I have no idea. But I’m sure it was, indeed, invented by people who couldn’t write. Writer’s block is nothing but an excuse. Because of the misconception that writing isn’t hard work, those who don’t put in the effort need an excuse to why they’re not producing words on their paper.

Sure, sometimes your writing won’t flow. But blocked? Nah. More like stuck in a corner you’ve written yourself into. Delete. Write a different scene. Take a break. Change writing venue. Switch from computer to pen and paper. Read for a while. Go cook dinner. Take a walk. Put in some more effort. But whatever you do, don’t tell yourself or anyone else that you have writer’s block. You might end up believing it yourself, and then you’re truly screwed.

What you need isn’t to hide behind an excuse. You need a prompt so you can get past the road bump – because that’s all it is. It’s not a road block. Analyze why you’ve stopped writing – is the scene going in the right direction? Are your characters behaving as they should? Is the dialogue unnatural or stilted? Find out what the following scene will be and use it as a guiding light to get through the one giving you a problem. You’re not blocked – if anything, you’re lost. So get unlost. It’s your damn story! Writing is hard work, but it’s not rocket science. Well, unless you’re writing about rocket science. And odds are that you’re not.

By using the term writer’s block, all you’re really doing is making things harder for yourself. Instead of making excuses (and worse, actually believing them), then work hard at getting through whatever problems you’re having with your story. The perfect recipe on how to move forward with your story when you feel you’re stuck is the same as the perfect recipe on how to write a story – you find your own. There are as many approaches to writing as there are writers, and with some work and effort, you can find one that works for you.   

Saying “I have writer’s block” may fly with some people. All I hear is “I’m not invested enough in my story to put in the effort required.”

So quit with the excuses and write! 

What Am I Up To?

I haven't been very good at updating my blog. Apologies. I have a good excuse, though. I've been busy writing! So I've been a good writer and not a very good blogger. I think I can live with that. However, I will try to do better in the blog department in the future.

I finished a novel. I mentioned it last year. It's called A Thousand Sunsets and was written last November for NaNoWriMo. This year I have been editing it, cleaning it up, polishing it, vacuuming it, dusting it - basically doing everything possible to make it shine. I had help. My amazing friend, Heather, offered me the use of her grammar and picking-a-not-so-good-story-apart-and-suggesting-how-to-put-it-back-together-again-in-a-much-better-way skills. Wouldn't you love to have skills like that? Now the novel has been sent off into the big, big world, and only time will tell how it does. A writer needs to have a lot of patience.

The novel isn't the only thing I've been working on. Short stories, reasearch, articles...I write it all. It's been quite the month for submissions, but instead of sitting back and waiting for the barrage of rejection letters and emails, I'm diving head first into my next projects. It can make a girl almost depressed that she will never, ever have time to write the million stories she wants to accomplish, so at least I write as many as I can. And I will.

Until next time - keep writing!

It Never Gets Old...I Hope

So, while Christmas shopping - in a packed bookstore full of busy, cranky, and impatient people - I stop and grin. Right there on the shelf is a book with my words inside. It makes me want to laugh, but I don't. Only on the inside, anyway. It's The Dream coming true. And it keeps coming true.

It makes me want to write even more. So vanity can be inspiration, too. ;)

NaNoWriMo, Part II

November is running out, and novelists all over the world are scrambling to get down the last of their 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo. I was freakishly efficient, so it only took me a little over two weeks to finish. And we're not talking about what I neglected in order to finish that soon. In any case, the words are written, and only editing remains. I'm letting my story stew a little before I start that.

 

While writing, something occured to me. It's not reaching the 50,000 words that is the real reward, and it doesn't really matter if you write 40,000 or 60,000 - what's important is that you write. The more you write, the easier it gets. So to those who don't reach the goal by Wednesday night - screw it. You did good if you got something - anything at all - written. Writing isn't a race. It's a process. And sometimes processes don't cooperate or take longer than expected. Whatever.

 

Be grateful for every word you wrote. I am.

 

I don't know what's going to become of my story. It's called "A Thousand Sunsets" and is about the chances you get - and take - in life. It needs work before anyone gets to see it, but I'm happy with the overall idea of it. I'll be back with a snippet when I start the editing process.

 

Two days left of NaNoWriMo 2011 - use them well. And happy writing!

NaNoWriMo

National Writing Month started today - the task of writing 50,000 words in 30 days - and I'm participating for the second time. Last year, I was talked into it on the very day it started, so I had very little time to come up with an idea for a plot.

This year, I'm more prepared and am excited to get started for real. NaNoWriMo presents an excellent excuse to get some words out. What you write doesn't have to be perfect - that's what editing and December are for. And the more you write, the easier it gets. The support from your writing buddies is also valuable, and if seeing that your friends are ahead of you on the word counts won't push you to write, nothing will!

If you're participating, happy writing! If not - why?