Articles
about What is Writers Block
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What is Writer's Block?
Writers block was first defined as an explanation for stuck
writers relatively recently, less than 100 years ago. (What
did writers blame for their lack of production before
that?) Writer's block has been defined as the temporary
loss of ability to continue writing, commonly due to a lack
of inspiration or creativity. However, the concept of
writer block has rapidly grown to include quite a number of
ideas.
Some of the wide range of meanings that tend to be included
under this one umbrella of "writer block" include any delay
in the "process" of writing, a lack of inspiration, and/ or
a lack of motivation. Since almost all writers go through
stages and or encounters with these elements, it's been
said that all writers have suffered from writer's blocks.
Most unproductive writers who would describe themselves as
blocked are working quite hard -- reading, researching,
writing plans and outlines, rewriting and editing... all
the right things of writing. Their problem is that they are
doing the right things at the wrong times or in the wrong
amounts. They have adopted a repetitive pattern of behavior
that leads to being blocked and unproductive.
Writer block also has some peculiarities. It seldom applies
to all writing - a blocked writer can still write notes,
letters, or other types of writing differing from where
they are blocked. It tends to occur at specific places in
the writing process - someone may have written many pages
of material to that point and then get stuck moving to the
next step in the process. Contrary to preconception,
"personality type" or a typical disposition do not have any
direct relationship to who gets blocked or how they get
blocked.
The phrase "writer's block", offers some insight as to how
this is experienced. When describing their not being able
to write, writers mention being immobilized, stranded,
stuck, frozen, numb or paralyzed. The block is felt and
that is certainly true for most who experience writer
block. People describe it as a near physical thing.
Writing requires both extensive thought and physical action
to transcribe the thought imagery into a book, story or
argument. Writing is a multi-sensory activity. When viewed
in that light, the metaphorical physical activity language
makes more sense.
What I find fascinating is that almost all authors struggle
with the same doubts and yet so many can be productive in
spite of those doubts. But not comfortable - the cliche is
that writing is one of the most uncomfortable, painful, gut
wrenching things a person can do! Yay! -- are we masochists
or what? NOT! If it's not fun, it ain't worth doing!
With blocks that happen at certain steps in the writing
process, it's straight forward to understand how to bust
the block... Change that pattern, and the block is gone. If
the writer is stuck in always having to take a break after
writing a page and then just never gets back to writing
again... the block-buster answer is clear. No breaks! If
you write a paragraph and then have to research more, it's
time to get clear on which you are doing. If it's writing
time - then write. If it's researching time - then
research! Not both at once.
If you must always research more in order to feel just a
bit more comfortable with your output... the answers lie in
both lowering the standard of excellence required at the
draft stage, and in using a research strategy that is
fruitful and feels complete enough for what you are
producing. Recognizing and accurately setting a standard of
excellence that matches your target audience is key! The
standard of research needed for a book is different than
the standard of research for a college paper.
Switching your writing process around and adjusting your
standards of excellence based on what stage of the writing
process you are in, are core steps to ending this kind of
writer's block.
Also you may find that having access to brilliant imagery,
that is unique, varied, useful and full of insight will
both increase your respect of your output and increase the
quality of that output.