Writing blocks: do they exist?

This came up as a question on Writing From Your Heart 12 Facebook page. www.facebook.com/writingfromyourheart

I said firmly that I didn't believe in writing blocks and I stand by that as far as it relates to the mechanics of writing. Because in terms of words on a page, there are many techniques to be used that allow you write.

Sounds harsh? Maybe but let me take you back ten years.

In my hand I held an envelope containing an assignment I'd sent off to my writing correspondence course.
I was quite pleased with it when I sent it off but by the time I'd read the comments on the accompanying sheet, I felt shredded.

Too many pages, too much waffle, not enough emotional content. It was 12 pages and my next assignment was to reduce it down to 8.

More inclined to make paper airplanes with it than look at it again, I left it for a couple of days.

Didn't look any easier to me to start changing words, or horror of horrors, deleting them.

Of course I did it. And of course my tutor was right. The reduced piece was sharper, firmer and more directed at the reader.

EMOTIONAL BLOCKS TO WRITING

Where I can agree to blocks is in the emotional connection to the words you might want to write. But that's a different issue

These can happen at different stages of the writing process and need a different kind of therapy to loosen them.

1. It may feel too emotionally charged to write about something, not allowing you to begin.
2. While you're writing painful emotions can come upand feel threatening to you.
3. When you've finished the writing, even if it's been therapeutic to write it, you may feel blocked about doing anything with what you've written.

TOM EVANS AND EILEEN PARR TALK ABOUT WRITING BLOCKS

After I'd answered the Facebook question I mulled over the question further and thought it might be useful to discuss it with Tom Evans, The Bookwright who has written extensively about creativity blocks.

Our discussion will go out to subscribers of WFYH Monthly Enfolding on 1 February.

Sign up at www.eileenparr.com and join in the discussion about this topic that haunts most writers at some point in their writing life.

What stops people writing

Last week I took a trip over to Creative Coffee at the Phoenix Arts Centre at Leicester.

I had a fun time meeting other writers... and would be writers.

Did more listening than talking which is as it should be. Listened to one person who was moving from an IT career to being a freelance editor and proof reader.

But most of all I listened to people who wanted to write but didn't, couldn't or wouldn't.

Their woes were centred round five problems.

1. I haven't enough time.

All the people I met were in business. They're efficient goal setting and achieving professionals. What makes it different with the writing is that treat it as something 'separate'. Creative. Needing that moment of inspiration to start off.

The more I write and the more different things I write, the less I believe in writer's block and this inspiration stuff. Yes you need the initial ideas. But... once that is there, the rest is steady determination and application.

Which means giving it time. At the moment I'm rewriting a draft of a book I worked on about eighteen months ago. I've set myself the goal of finishing the draft by the end of July. So I need to write about a thousand words a day to hit that target. I've worked out it takes me under the hour to do it.

For me the trick is just to write it and not look back. That's fatal. When I've done the draft I'll take a week's break then start to fix it.

   2.   I'm stuck in the research stage.

This applies to many academic people one of whom I heard about last week. Got a brilliant idea, loves research, now can't find his voice for the book.

There really is only one answer. That's to write. Once you're into the writing, especially as he's writing non-fiction, the voice will come.
 
  3.  I can't find a publisher.

This is the first question people ask me. And it's often from people who haven't started to write their book.

These days, the question's become more irrelevant for many people. Self publishing has lost its crummy image and turned respectable. Digital printing has brought down the cost to manageable proportions for most people. And social media has opened up the world to promote what you do.

It's the most exciting time to be an author.

4     I can't get it out of my head onto the page.

Fear. That's what causes this. I know because I've suffered from it.

While it's in my head my book is perfect. Absolutely perfect. Any publisher would snap it up in an instant and turn it into a worldwide best seller.

On the page it might lack something. So I'll leave it where it is.

Shame because only once it's on the page can somebody help you with it. And the thing about writers and people in the industry is that they're helpful. They love everything to do with writing and books. They're passionate and committed.

So if you're at that stage, take your courage in your hands and begin.

 5. I can't find the right shape for the book.

This seems to be bound up with finding your voice and wanting to rely on the inspiration. I've been in groups where there's always at least one person with this approach to writing.

Without fail the tutor tries to persuade them to do some planning on the structure for the book. Simply because if you have a road map, it becomes easier.

I've heard stories of some writers who plan meticulously and never deviate from the plan. Some who plan then revisit the structure if they get stuck.

There are as many ways of completing a book as there are writers and you do have to find the way that suits you.. But that initial structure does seem to make sense - at least to get you going.

What I've realised in the ten years I've been writing for business and writing fiction and non-fiction for myself, is that if you're willing to accept help, there's no shortage of avenues to find that support.

Arts organisations, paid assessment services, writers' groups, courses, author events.

What's needed though from the writer is their participation. If you sit at home 'wanting to become a writer' but doing nothing about it you' ever will. Just as I'll never run a marathon because I don't run.

And it's a shame, because your book, could be the one that makes a difference to others.