Writer's Block
by Heather A Kirby

You know the feeling.

It's like someone has closed off one of those submarine doors with the big round handles and shut off your inspiration.

You sit there in front of the blank screen or the A4, so virgin white, fingers poised and nothing.

Nothing

And still nothing.

At the moment, I'm going through one of the biggest attacks of writers block I 've had in the past five years. WB as I'll call it now, is nothing new. It's killing me, it feels like part of me is missing. I have all these novel and characters in my head and they all want out on the page at once!

But what can I do about it?

Well strangely enough the best advice is WRITE.

That's my usual cure for it. I'm not one for reading or writing one book at a time. I normally have several projects on the go at one time. I have 14 projects at various stages, but only 3 of these will be active in any way shape or form at any one time.

So, what can we do for our WB? I've already said to write through it. Lets take a closer look at this, then.

This essay is about the started novel, that's hit a snag. We'll come to opening lines in a later essay.

Now, think about why you can't write. Is it your environment? Are the kids off school, are you tired? Uncomfortable?

If it is a quantifiable thing like this that is stopping you, you can either change or adapt to the circumstance. Eg, you accept that you will not have the energy to write until the schools are over, or you say "I'll find the time. Even just ten minutes a day. The washing can wait for ten minutes"

What can you do to make where you write more amenable? Do you need to sit differently? Change where you sit? Get a nice view...or stop looking at the nice view....

These are positive steps you can take.

So, you do this, and still nothing!

I said earlier, write your way out...now this is the trouble, I hear you scream!

Open your work, yes open it up...

Now read through it. Have you said all you want to say in that place, or is there something else you want to add? Are there other themes coming forward that you can address? Can you pinpoint the actual problem?

A good method, that I call "Bridge work," and that I have used successfully, works on the idea of a bridge, began on both sides of a river, and constructed until it meets in the middle. It works like this - you go forward in time, and write other scenes, then you can always work backwards at a later date and link them up. Or you can just write until you catch up.

If like me, you have a treatment or storyline, a loose skeleton on which to hang the full blown narrative, why don't you take the main scenes from that, and write them up? You will already have a fair idea of the dynamics of them. You can join them up later.

Another trick that I use, is to go back and edit what I've done. It never hurts to keep doing this in any case. It serves to both remind you of the story so far, lets you spot any typos, and lets you put things a little better. It also serves the purpose of letting you work, without putting any pressure on yourself. You are not adding anything new, but you are still working.

The idea is to keep the juices flowing, even if they trickle.

One thing that may be bothering you, is how much you should write at any given time. I have a colleague who writes a phenomenal 2000 or more words a day.

I couldn't even begin to compete with that. So I don't.

Writing is not a competitive sport. You don't have to answer to anyone but yourself, whether you have a contract or not. You can't force yourself to do more than you can.

I myself put down a minimum of 100 words per project each day. Sometimes, it will only be 100 words. Often it will only be one project that get the 100 words. They may be drivel, they may be earth-shattering, but the point is that I KEEP WRITING.

The idea is that it takes off performance pressure, and allows the work to grow, slowly, but steadily. A page in a week doesn't sound much, but hey, it all mounts up. Most books are expected to take 3 years to write, so what's your hurry?

Rome wasn't built in a day, and like all clichés, it's true.

If all else fails, and you can't do any more at that time to that project, perhaps, you could start a new one. Maybe the reason why you have stalled on one is because your muse is desperately trying to let another one out.

If that's the case, let it out!!

I actually write like this. I will have one that is getting storylined, another getting started, and one that is nearing completion.

But if all else fails, and trying to write just really isn't working, take yourself away from the work for a few days, don't look at it. Leave it alone.

Do something totally different. Panic won't help you write. I know you write because you have to, but actually you don't. You write because its fun, and you love it. And like all the best love affairs, it won't always go smoothly, so give yourself a break, and take some time out.

The planets will not stop in their courses, and the earth will not explode.

When you are ready, you will know.

Heather A Kirby

HAKIRBY@aol.com

www.astrothsknot.com