We all hate it, yet we all get it.  The minute we sit down at our computer to write (or dip the quill in the inkwell if you’re old school), the gremlin appears and magically drains us of all knowledge and creativity.   Yes, I’m talking about the dreaded Writer’s Block gremlin, who causes our minds to become blank and empty, like an unloved house that sits alone and abandoned.  We stare at the computer's blank screen; our minds, once filled with lush, exotic ideas and exquisite plot twists, have now become as barren and empty as the Sahara Desert.  

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We sit quietly in place as the seconds become minutes, minutes stretch towards an hour, and still our hands remain frozen in place as the blank screen taunts us mercilessly.  What to do?

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There is no magical answer that will immediately open the spickets of creativity, but here are a few strategies I try that might be helpful.

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Give yourself permission to write garbage

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When I first started writing, I expected every sentence to be Pulitzer Prize or Nebula Award-winning material.  My novel was going to amaze the world, starting with that memorable opening sentence that would be taught in literature classes for centuries.  So, I sat at the computer, waiting for that first incredible line to come out that would unlock my creative juices and lead me to create the most mind-blowing story the world had ever seen.  

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And I’d wait and wait…nothing.  Time moved relentlessly forward, drawing me inexorably towards my next task.  The hour I’d allocated for writing was almost over, yet the screen remained blank, taunting me with its emptiness.

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At the end of an hour, sometimes two short paragraphs was all I had managed.  Before moving on to my next task, I would re-read the marvelous words I had created.  Instead of amazing prose that was going to rock the world, my paragraphs looked more like they had been written by a struggling middle school student, and I couldn’t hit the ‘delete’ button fast enough.

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After much thought, I realized that I might have set the bar a wee bit too high.  Instead of a story that would be read by millions, maybe I should shoot for a novel that would be read by my friends and perhaps a few others.  Instead of changing the world, I should focus on bringing joy to a handful of people.  An opening line that would resonate around the world would be replaced by a line that was just interesting enough the reader wouldn’t close the book.

It's amazing how allowing myself to be bad relived the pressure on the spicket and allowed the ideas to flow.  Write for yourself, tell your unique story, and if just one person reads it and enjoys it, all your efforts will have been worthwhile.

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It’s all about the re-write

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I used to believe that writing was one and done.  I’d sit down, write an amazing novel, and then sit back and wait for the offers to pour in.  

However, real life is a lot different from my fantasy.  Writing is all about reviewing, editing, changing, re-writing, reviewing again, and more re-writing.  After all that, only then do I feel my novel is finally ready to be reviewed by someone else, a writing partner, a trusted friend, your peer group, a professional editor, etc.  

 

And then it’s more editing and rewriting.

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You don’t need to be as meticulous as I am; my first draft is more like a third or fourth for most people.  It’s perfectly OK to share a novel right after a first draft, warts and all.  The point is that at some point, your novel is going to change, sometimes radically.  So don’t worry about spelling, sentence structure, paragraphs, etc.  The first draft is about getting your idea on paper, and nothing else.

 

Write something goofy

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If you’re stuck for ideas, write something silly.  If you’re writing a cozy mystery, maybe the murderer is a rogue alien sent to scout Earth’s defenses for a possible invasion.  A coming-of-age story, might feature an annoying teacher who is a vampire that needs to be put in his place.  What if your time-traveling hero brought a guitar back to the Middle Ages and started a new dance craze?  In a historical novel, what if Zombies attacked just as Spain was readying the Spanish Armada, and suddenly England and Spain had to become allies?

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Are these stories what agents are looking for?  No.    Would they be fun to write… I think so.  But what if you were writing about your heroine starting a Medieval Rock Band, you thought of something that might be more realistic, perhaps a group of wandering minstrels?    Maybe the teacher isn’t a vampire but is in a secret society with mysterious intentions.

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If nothing else, you’ve created a story, silly or not, and that’s always a good thing.

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Read

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Have you ever read a novel or watched a movie where you didn’t like the ending?  If so, then create your own story.  

I’ve read stories where I’ve been disappointed that the romance didn’t go the way I was hoping.  Or maybe the villain wasn’t punished enough, or there was a tragic ending.  That’s one of the reasons I write; every story I write ends exactly the way I want it to!

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I’m a big fan of Happily Ever After, but that can mean many things.  It doesn’t always involve the Prince and Princess riding off into the sunset together (or having a royal wedding).  It can mean simply surviving tough circumstances, finding yourself, rediscovering something or someone you thought was lost forever.  What’s your ending?

 

Writing prompts

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I find writing prompts extremely helpful.  A basic idea can go a hundred different ways.  For example:

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Take this writing prompt: Jane leaves the house

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• Whose house is it?

  • Does Jane own the house, or is she renting?

  • Does she have a family… roommates?

  • Maybe it’s not where she lives, perhaps she’s visiting her best friend from high school, or spending time with her boyfriend?

 

• Who is Jane

  • An adult…teenager…child

  • What does Jane do?

    • Is she a secret agent, housekeeper, student, CEO, doctor, or exotic dancer?

 

• Where is she going?

  • Work

  • School

  • Home (if it’s not her house)

  • Meeting friends

  • A date

 

• How is she dressed

  • A cocktail dress, business suit, or ripped jeans?

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There are many ways to take this simple prompt and turn it into an interesting story.  It could be about love, redemption, an action-adventure thriller, or coming of age, etc.  Find something that interests you and take it anywhere you want to go!

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Conclusion

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You are not alone; the writing block gremlin visits us all, but their visit is never permanent.  Don’t feel guilty if you need to take time away from writing (a day, month, year), or try one of the techniques I’ve suggested. 

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But never give up.  You have a story to tell, and your voice is important.  You will find your inspiration and be able to tell your story!

If anyone has found other ways to banish the writing block gremlin, please share. I’d love to hear your ideas and will publish the best ones in the next newsletter.

 

Rick