Writer’s block is the scourge of wordsmiths the world over. There is no greater frustration for a creative individual than staring at a blank page or screen and being unable to fill it. All you do is stare at the vast emptiness before you as it echoes in mocking hollow tones.
Life is often the culprit in this terrible malady. We get overworked, eat poorly, have an argument with family and friends or simply go through the three most difficult triggers of life's great traumas: Changing residence, losing a job or face the loss of someone close to you. This last one can range anything from a death to a breakup. Either way, it leaves you stunned. At these times we may find ourselves unable to do more than stare at a screen with little or no passion, wondering if the spark will ever return.
It will.
I have and continue to deal with these life issues, as do countless others we pass every day. How do I treat the sickness of imagination drain? I treat the malady of writer’s block like I would a cold. It is a sickness that needs treatment. We can’t prescribe orange juice and chicken soup, but there are alternatives.
What I prefer as a remedy is as follows:
First, I listen to music. Something inspirational helps. Something that makes your heart race as the first few seconds pull you in and you want nothing more than to lose yourself in the moment over and over again. Your music can be anything from classical to power ballads. It’s your choice. Find the music that drives you and ride it into the sky.
Once I have smashed my air guitar and need to settle down and catch my breath, I proceed with step two. I watch television. Yes, the boob tube. The idiot box. That screen which turns rational thinking people into furniture spuds. You may not like it or you may be a recovering soap opera junkie. Whatever the case may be, remember: This is another form of storytelling. There are amazing shows out there which tell stories that bring us to tears and have us at the end of our seats. There are adventures to be had and loves to make our heart sing. At the core of every great movie or show is a story. Find the great ones. Watch them. let them plant the seeds to new worlds inside you.
Once you have binge watched a great series and are slowly digesting the possibilities of other worlds, move on to step three: Read. It may be difficult considering you are struggling to put words down yourself, but reading is essential even when we do not have a block to contend with. We are the story makers. We need words like we need air. Without reading our inner engine for stories sputters out and dies. We need to read someone else’s words. We need to explore someone else’s dream. New stories reveal what began as sparks of inspiration for others. Drink deep of these other wells. Take in their stories and adventures. Make them a part of your own and know that these seeds will be waiting for you to come back, ready to bloom within you with a fresh perspective and a renewed sense of adventure.
It may take time, but just as a cold is burned away with proper treatment, feeding your writer’s block with inspirational Adrenalin can clear away the obstacles in your life. Soon, you will look upon a blank page and smile. The rest of the world will pale once more as adventure beckons.
