That paralysis of fear…
What do you do when you are in a creative rut? That feeling of wanting to write, but not being able to. I’m sure we’ve all felt it – and the fear that stifles like an ominous fog pressing in on you, teasing that you will never capture your imagination again and your stories will remain untold. That in itself can be a paralysing force; making us afraid to try in case our fear manifests and becomes truth. But at some point we have to approach our writing once more, slowly, carefully like a skittish wild animal whose trust we want to gain.
Have you experienced this feeling too?
Maybe you’re in it right now. Perhaps you can read this with relief that you are no longer suffering this block. Or you might even be lucky enough not to have encountered it…thus far. I think it’s a rite of passage for many long-term writers. We all have to go through it at some point, and how you deal with it can offer an insight into the type of writer you are going to be. There’s a general acceptance that we are what we think; and the more we focus on the ‘lack’ of words written, the fewer words we can be capable of creating. So the more our frustration grows with the diminishing ability to write, the less able we are to believe it will resolve.
So how to beat the block?
Instead of writing recently, I’ve been languishing. Reading books, doodling patterns, watching T.V. Not my most creative legacy – but it’s been an interesting break from putting words on the page. I’m in a position now where I want to return to my imagination and test out the boundaries of my writing process. But for the last few weeks I’ve been so concentrated on the lack of production that I’ve fought to get any creativity on the page at all.
Don’t build sandcastles…
This approach has been dissolving any confidence I once might have cradled in my hands, like sand through an hourglass. I’ve been repeatedly seeing the ‘not’ writing, instead of trying to explore the writing I want to do. It’s no wonder my mind cannot grasp the delicate grains of imagination that I’m searching for; because I’m looking at the sand and thinking sandcastles – a great fortification of barriers that keep me out – rather than examining the crystals of creativity that gleam in the sunshine and deliver wonder by the pocketful. So it’s time to kick down those walls that have taken my imagination prisoner, and reclaim it piece by piece, word by word, sentence by sentence until I recognise the sculptural shape of my story again. My attention will be directed to the form I’m creating, not the wasteland of raw material around me that I’ve previously been staring at without inspiration.
What I can do, not what I can’t
In short, this week I’m going to focus on what I can do, not what I can’t – or haven’t been – doing. Even though I might not feel like what I am producing is of a quality I’d like this is how books are built; through experimentation and establishing good foundations that can support the ideas above. Sometimes it is just about ‘butt in the chair’ and plodding our way through the struggle ignorant of the fear that might follow us, so that we might leave it behind and rediscover our path – through the barren dunes and back into civilisation.
Not sure how to tackle this yourself…?
IF THE WRITER YOU WANT TO BE:
- Shows up for their writing dream regularly and consistently
- Knows exactly how to spark inspiration and get in the writing zone
- Is proud of the writing they do and the progress they’ve made
- Feels confident about sharing their work and isn’t phased by a ‘rejection’
- Takes risks with their writing, and has a distinctive ‘voice’ that readers love!
- Has a clear plan that makes their writing dreams an inevitability
If you want to be THIS writer – book in a FREE 1:1 20min Consult with me and let’s identify the first step you can take toward becoming them!