Writers Block doesn't exist. It's not real.
It's something we, as authors, tell ourselves is real so that we have an excuse not to write something.
There IS a form of Writers Block that is real, but it should under no circumstance go as that title.
If it's under that title, you think you are blocked. You can't write anything, you can't brainstorm, and your creative flow is blocked by... What?
The need for a break. 'Writers Block' often comes after you plot a ton or you write for however many hours straight, or are surrounded by your own words for days/weeks on end. Another time it comes is if you've taken a short break, such as a vacation, or a busy schedule, ect, and in turn it makes it incredibly hard to get back into the groove of writing.
I am experiencing the second, which is perhaps why my words sound so bitter.
I know it is not Writers Block I am going through, because that is just an old fairy tale that is more myth than fact, but I AM going through "Writers Rehabilitation". I am on the way to getting back to normal, to falling in love with my stories again, embracing the beautiful flow of writing.
As hard as it is to believe, I'm sure I'm not the only one who understands that sometimes, whether there's a tangible cause or not, writers just get distracted from their writing. While their characters ride back seat, they are patiently waiting for the day--after days or months or years of distractions--for you to pick up the pencil/keyboard again and continue their wonderful lives full of adventure and challenges.
I think these breaks are healthy, to a point. I know that what I have done--gone without writing for over three months--is one of the unhealthy cases. And, of course, my reason for this was editing AWAKEN in order to get it pretty enough for a printed copy for my personal use.
I think a few days off of writing is a good idea, here and there, but the longer you wait to get back into your stories, the harder it's going to be. So, as you can well imagine, right now it's most certainly a struggle to return to the natural order of things.
I once read somewhere, in response to a person saying they haven't written in a few months, that they 'may not be a real writer, then.'. Like not writing for months or even years strips you of your 'writer' title?
Writing is not the act of one person putting words on paper. Writing is the act of one person seeing the world in a way that makes you capable of sharing that view of the world through, not just ink on paper, but any form of words. Writing, to me, is not a hobby or a career or a past-time--it is a mindset.
Writing is a personality trait.
So my break is officially over. I need to find the proper balance between things, and while I'm still trying to figure that out correctly, I can say I will be making an effort to keep more constant posts up here, while also juggling other life priorities.
Defying Impossible is like my own child, and I hate to leave it empty for so long at a time.
Do you have any theories about Writers Block? What is one of your favorite ways to get out of a writing break?
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