The Cure for the Common Writer’s Block

The dreaded writer’s block. That wall of nothingness that, sooner or later, plants itself directly in front of every writer’s path to creative bliss. That ominous obstruction that fuels frustration and threatens to drive even the most prolific writer absolutely batty.
Writer’s block: public enemy number one.

Writer’s block is something that affects every writer, good or bad, successful or woefully unsuccessful, large or small. If you haven’t experienced it yet, just wait a while. You will.

Personally, for years I only had minor cases of “the block” until I had surgery for my cancer. Following surgery, I had a few weeks off work and planned to get some big-time writing done. Unfortunately, my mind had other plans. I had nothing. My river of creativity was as dry as a dog biscuit. The gears of my mind were locked up like arthritic joints. I had a full-blown case of writer’s block. Darn.

When the dreaded block hits, there are ways to combat it. One is to write through it. Basketball great Larry Bird once said that when he was in a shooting slump (the sports version of “the block”) the best remedy was to shoot his way out. With writing it’s no different. Sometimes, the best way out of a writer’s block is to plow through it, tackle it head on. Keep writing, even if what you write is pure, unadulterated drivel. Who cares anyway, right? It’s nothing anybody will ever read (don’t you dare let anybody read it!).

Another remedy is to do something unrelated to writing that activates the right brain, that creative half of our noodle. Paint, draw, sculpt, work on your scrapbook, arrange flowers, play or listen to music. Doing something creative gets those right-brain synapses firing and awakens the imaginative being inside you.

In my experience, the surest cure for writer’s block is listening to music. I find something inspiring, something that stirs my soul and feeds my imagination, something that stimulates my emotions, or just plain gets me bopping my head. Not long after that, an idea surfaces, then another, the juices get flowing and I run with it.

But you’ll need to find what works for you. Whatever you do, though, don’t give up. Writer’s block is normal and part of being a writer. It’s a sure sign that you are, indeed, a writer. And that’s a good thing!