I think it’s safe to say that every single writer out there suffers with some form of writer’s block. I don’t have much to say about writer’s block, other than it sucks. But it’s still something I experience on a much more permanent basis than I would like. It’s annoying, it’s frustrating.
It prevents me from doing my best at writing. It’s like a firm shove that kicks me down a dark dirt hole, which is super hard and irritating to get out of.
It prevents me from doing my best at writing. It’s like a firm shove that kicks me down a dark dirt hole, which is super hard and irritating to get out of.
There are a number of ways I approach writer’s block. I either try to struggle through (with lots and lots of coffee – hence the title of this blogs), I sit it out and wait for inspiration, or I go hunting
for inspiration to kickstart my creativity again, which I find mostly in movies and books.
for inspiration to kickstart my creativity again, which I find mostly in movies and books.
The first thing you have to ask when reading this blog is: What’s it like to struggle through writer’s block? Well, imagine swimming through custard. Yup, it’s like that. It feels like you’re trying your hardest to reach one side of the pool, but with each kick you just get more stuck and slightly more frustrated. However, you have no other choice but to keep going. If you stop kicking, you’ll start to sink and drowning in custard is not exactly how I want to die. So, swimming through custard is the only option, and you need energy to do that, which I have in the form of coffee, coffee, coffee. But, sometimes even caffeine is not enough and, as a result, for a couple pages or (in the worst cases) chapters, my writing might be awful. I’ll end up leaving a passive-aggressive note to myself for
when I edit, such as “Hey, this piece of writing here? It’s shit. Re-write it asap.” I will take the warning as serious, and in some cases will just delete the entire section of writing (R.I.P the original first 10 chapters of Detonation), in fear of the wrath of pre-editing Emily, who is indeed very angry at herself and her writer’s block.
when I edit, such as “Hey, this piece of writing here? It’s shit. Re-write it asap.” I will take the warning as serious, and in some cases will just delete the entire section of writing (R.I.P the original first 10 chapters of Detonation), in fear of the wrath of pre-editing Emily, who is indeed very angry at herself and her writer’s block.
On other occasions, I choose to take a different stance of writer’s block. That, unfortunately, involves just sitting it out. As a result, I can go for months without writing which just upsets me. Going so long without doing something I’m good at and something I use, in a way, as a coping
mechanism and an escape is physically and mentally draining. I need writing almost as much as I need any other necessity in life. It is during these times when I feel most frustrated. I will snap at people,and if anyone asks me about how my writing is going I will struggle to find any reply which is not a grunt or groan. This is also when negative Emily comes out from her hut, which I view as Shrek’s swamp in the first movie, with extreme emphasis on the line “GEt OUttA mA sWAmP!”, except I just want everyone to not ask me about my books. This approach to writer’s block is, quite possibly, the worst approach anyone can ever take towards writer’s block. So, as easy as it is to stay in my swamp, I know I need to adventure out into the world for inspiration.
mechanism and an escape is physically and mentally draining. I need writing almost as much as I need any other necessity in life. It is during these times when I feel most frustrated. I will snap at people,and if anyone asks me about how my writing is going I will struggle to find any reply which is not a grunt or groan. This is also when negative Emily comes out from her hut, which I view as Shrek’s swamp in the first movie, with extreme emphasis on the line “GEt OUttA mA sWAmP!”, except I just want everyone to not ask me about my books. This approach to writer’s block is, quite possibly, the worst approach anyone can ever take towards writer’s block. So, as easy as it is to stay in my swamp, I know I need to adventure out into the world for inspiration.
Hunting down inspiration can be both easy and difficult. Mostly, I find it in books and movies that I’m interested in at that time. I’m not sure why, but there’s something about a good young adult book series, or an adventure packed movie that prods me out of my swamp and back onto the creative path ahead.
Some books series I get on super well with when suffering with Writer’s block, are:
- The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas,
- The Six Of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo,
- Anything Shadowhunter related by Cassandra Claire,
- Any of the works of my all-time favourite author Robert J. Crane.
There are, no doubt, other books I find inspiration in, but they include stand-alone novels I really enjoy and will probably post a future blog about.
Now, movies also serve as great, quick, inspiration for me. I love a good action movie, which I usually find hunting through Netflix. There’s nothing quite like watching someone beat the shit out of the antagonist/villain. Granted, this doesn’t happen in every movie, but it happens usually in most of the movies I like to watch. The following are a few of my favourites (clears throat):
As of the moment, I am fascinated with all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. That means, I’m watching almost one a week, if I have nothing else to do (as I mentioned in my last blog, I currently
have a lot of free time). I love the adventure each movie holds, as well as how well Captain Jack’s character is written. Another movie I like is the recently released Robin Hood movie, staring Taron Egerton. The movie shows an intelligent character, who knows how to protect himself and those he loves. Marvel movies are also serious inspiration for me. I love anything and everything Marvel,
including all the movies and especially Iron Man (which almost everyone who knows me knows). Finally, the last two movies I find most inspiration from are the Sherlock Holmes movies featuring Robert Downey Junior, and Jude Law. I’ve been fascinated with Sherlock Holmes, and have recently started reading the novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with his intelligence and ability to kick up a fuss. He’s always been a fictional character I’ve looked up to.
have a lot of free time). I love the adventure each movie holds, as well as how well Captain Jack’s character is written. Another movie I like is the recently released Robin Hood movie, staring Taron Egerton. The movie shows an intelligent character, who knows how to protect himself and those he loves. Marvel movies are also serious inspiration for me. I love anything and everything Marvel,
including all the movies and especially Iron Man (which almost everyone who knows me knows). Finally, the last two movies I find most inspiration from are the Sherlock Holmes movies featuring Robert Downey Junior, and Jude Law. I’ve been fascinated with Sherlock Holmes, and have recently started reading the novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with his intelligence and ability to kick up a fuss. He’s always been a fictional character I’ve looked up to.
Finding inspiration, then, seems to be quite easy. However, it won’t always fully clear my writer’s block.
Despite my best efforts, sometimes all I can do is hide in my swamp or, if I’m feeling particularly motivated, attempt to swim in custard.