Writer's block - the truth is out there...

I've read several pieces lately discounting the authenticity of a phenomenon known as writer's block, the authors of said blog posts and articles stating emphatically that no such thing exists.  That's fair.  Those authors are entitled to their opinions on the subject. 

Here's mine...

My definition of writer's block is when I, as the author, am no longer able to advance my storyline. There may be several reasons for this.  I may have lost my 'train of thought' in regards to the direction I was heading with my story.  I may be experiencing outside stressors that have absolutely nothing to do with writing (health issues affect me this way a lot).  I may be grieving over the loss of a pet, or worried about how to pay an unexpected bill, or preoccupied with an upcoming event.  Whatever the reason, the words stop coming.  This is my writer's block.

I read one post where the author suggested writing anything to keep up the flow, it didn't matter how bad it was.  I read another where the author recommended writing a grocery list to keep the momentum going.  Yeah, well, I hate to tell you, jotting down that I need to pick up fabric softener the next time I'm at the store doesn't give me the a-ha moment it apparently does for some.  When the words stop coming, that's it.  There're no more.  I can sit and reread my manuscript over and over, but once the spark's gone, I've found there's nothing I can do except wait for my battery to recharge.  And you know what?  That's okay.

 I wrote my first book in 18 days.  I had a few moments where I wasn't sure where I wanted to go with the story, but I figured it out rather quickly and continued on.  My second book was written in 22 days.  Again, a few hiccups but nothing that shut down the word factory.  My third book...oh, well, that's when I got my first taste of writer's block.  It was frustrating.  No; it was infuriating!  I knew I could write, I knew what I wanted to have happen in the story, but my creativity dried up.  The words I typed were nonsense, not advancing the plot in the least, and I began to doubt what I was doing.  I mean, wrap it up, call it quits, never type another word again, doubt.  I cried; I cursed; I tried to force the words from my brain.  Nothing worked.  Then one morning, I woke up and it was as if the skies had cleared.  I was full of ideas, and better than that, I was full of words; words I couldn't get down on the page fast enough.  I'd beaten my writer's block!

Until the next book. 

And the next. 

And the next.

For me, this mental absence of creative thought and ideas is something that happens often, no matter how well my plot is thought out.  I become word-stupid, where even the simplest of expressions hold no meaning.  I've learned that the best way for me to overcome this block is to wait it out.  That's all I can do.  Wait it out.  Sometimes, the wait is days; other times months.  I have one manuscript I haven't touched in three years.  I've recently had some brain activity on that one, a few ideas churning about, but I know I'm not ready to pick up where I left off.  Not yet.  What I have done is quit beating myself up about it.  For one thing, it does me no good.  Stress impairs my thought processes regardless of where the stress originates.  Worrying about not being able to write doesn't help my brain reset any faster than it normally would.  And maybe, by not stressing over not being able to write, I'm allowing my cerebrum to find an alternate route around the blockade.

So, to those who say writer's block doesn't exist, my response is this - I'm happy that you're not afflicted by such a debilitating occurrence.  Not all of us are as lucky. 

And to those of you who are - my sympathies.  I've been there and know what you're going through.  Never fear, though; you will get past it.  And it doesn't hurt to try some of the suggestions put out there by the non-believers.  Just remember, what works for one may not work for another.  Of course, there's no harm in writing that shopping list. 

You need peanut butter this week anyway, don't you?