It’s always about the will to write.
Sometimes I write like a woman possessed for hours on end. Words drench the pages like a frenzied summer storm. Other days a drought has settled.
Sometimes the block sneaks up on you. You start a brand new work with zeal for miles only to have that passion fizzle out a few pages in.
Then the block stays just long enough for your inner critic to set up house in the forefront of your mind and tell you all the reasons why you shouldn’t even bother writing in the first place. (Most of which seems to begin with, “You don’t know how to start that sentence.”)
But, in learning to fight this internal demon — The Block — I’ve discovered there is really only one thing you can do to disarm him: Write.
Write a postcard, write a fleeting thought, or write a grocery list. What you write doesn’t matter so much as the fact that you’re writing. Then, write a little more each day and keep it flowing.
And if that demon begins to rear his ugly head again, pick up your sword and cut him deeply with your words.
A girl in the world who loves stripey knee socks and her cat. She also loves to read, write, draw, and a bunch of other things in between.
sending...
That’s surely one of the hardest lessons to learn as a writer. So, I totally agree with you. The only way not to get blocked by this demon is keep on writing – what a dilemma^^’.
By the way: did you finish this NaNo?
Greetings
Natalia
Hey Natalia! What a dilemma indeed. -__-
OK, NaNoWriMo. Here’s the deal…I cheated a little bit. I did squeak by this year, but the story is *FAR* from finished.
What about you? Did you participate in NaNo this year? Did you finish?
Well… I had the will to write
. I think it’s easy to imagine what happened next: nothing. I know it’s terrible.
But at least you started writing… that’s much better than don’t even dare to write. Now you just need to finish the story (easy to say for me^^)
I love this post so much. I’ve been feeling burned out by NaNo and winter. In a bizarre way, I’m glad I’m not the only one struggling. *hugs*
Thanks, Ana. This year is definitely a rough one, and there’s nothing bizarre about it…it’s always nice to know we’re not alone in our struggles.