Writers are empty, not blocked

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Like everyone else, I’ve been fanged by the evil writers’ block vampire, finding myself curled up on the floor, ash-pale, dried-out and wondering what the hell happened and why I can’t produce a word.

But we writers are strong, creative, and ambitious. We’re heroes in our own stories, and whenever we’re faced with adversity, we suck it up and keep on going.

Years ago I read something that forever changed the way I looked at writers’ b-word. No idea who said it or even where I read it, but I’ll never forget. It went like this: “Writers are empty, not blocked.”

In other words, when we find ourselves out of ideas, it’s not that there’s a giant obstacle inside us, a wall erected somewhere in our cerebellum standing between us and a million-dollar, best-selling idea. Often, it’s that we’ve allowed ourselves to become barren, using up our creative stores without replenishing them.

So how do we fill ourselves up again?

Travel

Ideally, to Paris, Khartoum, or the Gobi Desert, but if your bank balance thinks that’s hilarious, maybe take a drive to another town, or out into the country. Park up and take a stroll. See new people (better yet, talk to them), taste new food, change your perspective.

Try a different genre

Lemme tell ya, I’m all burned out with romance, and don’t see myself writing another soon. Which is why I’m so gung-ho about memoirs these days. I’m learning a new skill and freshening up my jaded brain cells.

Read, read, read

Maybe you’re just bored. Maybe you spend so much time writing that you’ve forgotten that writers are readers at heart. Trying a new author or going back to your favourite might be just the tonic you need. (Notice I didn’t say “plagiarise, plagiarise, plagiarise”. Don’t let what you read penetrate so deeply that it influences what you write. There be dragons.)  

Look inside yourself

Are you really not finding anything to write about or are you sabotaging yourself? Is there something that scares you, something you’re afraid would happen if you did finish your project? Success? Failure? Self-exposure? Bad reviews? The subconscious mind is a hell of a thing. Maybe you have something to sort out before you’re at peace with yourself enough to slam that keyboard once again?

Pack it in

At least temporarily. Go to your favourite pastry shop and challenge yourself to see how many calories you can consume in half an hour. Work out. See a movie. Have sex (I wish, ha.) Smoke a joint. (I can say that now that it’s been decriminalised in Trinidad. Yay!) (Also please note that I have never had a spliff in my life. Boo.) Go buy some sexy underwear; I find purple lace works best for me. Or a funny T shirt emblazoned with some pithy observation; the snarkier the better. Draw a mustache on the dog. Do anything that distracts you from the pickle you’re in.

Like a wary butterfly, inspiration will land on you if you stop trying to hard to catch it. Good luck, amigos.

Did any of these work for you? Let me know in the comments!