Not even WRITER'S BLOCK.
The Block of the Writer is such a broad term. It's like the monster under the bed. It's there, living and breathing and just as real as my teddy bear (which is very).
This is when writer's block happens to me:
- When I lose interest in a scene
- When I don't write for a while
- When I spend too much time on the internet
- When I over-think things
- When I compare my writing journey to that of a "more successful" writer
But the thing with writer's block (just like the monster under the bed), is that it's often only there when I think about it.
As my interest in a scene is dwindling, I'll stress about how bad it is and how I can't write better and then the words WRITER'S BLOCK smack me like my character bashing me with a fly swatter. Or a brick. Soon, all I can think about is how I have writer's block and therefore can't write, so I sit staring at a wall like the pathetic failure of a writer that I most certainly am.
The thing about me is that I have the tendency to view everything as permanent. That includes everything from the writer's block I'm wallowing in to the rush of writing the perfect scene. I often don't realize that these things come and go.
But I've discovered that my fleeting emotions and mindsets make me no less of a writer. Whether or not I feel like I can write, what defines me is that I do. That I just write. That I push past writer's block again and again and keep writing. That's what makes me a writer.
This is how I get over writer's block:
- Write random thoughts/journal (a later post!)
- Write a blog post
- Pinterest prompts!
- Call a friend
- Go for a walk
- Read
If you're struggling with writer's block, just keep going! Work on something new, walk away from the computer. It's just temporary, but you do have the power to determine how long it will last. Make a list of what triggers writer's block in you and come up with a battle plan to fight and defeat it next time it attacks.
Have a blessed Holy Thursday!
