Writer's Block

Today, someone asked me what I do when I get writer's block. It was an innocent enough question, but it was mooted on the assumption that I get writer's block. I don't, or rather, I prefer not think so. I don't want to believe that an external force dictates whether or not I will write.

That said, if you do suffer from writer's block then I believe, deeply, that if you can define what is holding back the flow of words then you can resolve it, get round it, climb over, demolish it. 

Let me qualify what I mean:

- Does a character lack life?
- Does the plot feel, well, wrong?
- Do sentences lack vigour and vitality?
- Do you lack time to write? Is there too much going on around you?
- Do you feel down?

You see, if you put words to how and what you feel, invariably you will determine the solution by yourself. As soon as you name something, you confine it, master it.

For some writers, it's about getting into the "zone", releasing the muse and they do that by "free-writing", by wildly arranging words and paragraphs to get the words flowing...for others, it's about walking along a beach and breathing in sea air...for others, it's a nice cuppa in a Kit-Kat moment...whatever, it is, it works for them.

If you need more help on how to get "unstuck" then I suggest you try out some of the exercises I've written:

What's your Thinking Style?
Are you a Visual Thinker?
Are you Auditory?

Writer's Block; I don't know if it exists or not. As far as I'm concerned it's like the mythical isle of Atlantis. It makes for great story-telling.

ZHZ.