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Wiley Wednesday – Battling Through the Doldrums — No Comments

  1. I'm sorry you're fighting a block. It's a painful experience (or at least it was for me). Cameron describes it as, "a tearless time of grief." Josip Novakovich advises us to write in any, and many, moods: many authors' material suffers from moodlessness, according to Novakovich.

    I think the lesson here, as painful as it may be, is that blocks are a necessary part of the creative process. Not all creative expression happens openly. Fallow periods are necessary, just as they are for a farm. We may fight them, and feel lazy, but the truth is we are fallow for a reason. Try not to fight it and, as you saw, you might surprise yourself with words you never expected.

    If all of that fails, then try walking. Walk for 20 minutes, outside in whatever weather. Feel the air on your skin, the light in your eyes. Something about being outside creates a calm alchemy within us that can, over time, help to break loose a block: sometimes not unlike ice floes in a river. But whatever the reason, remember this: the block is painful, yes, but it's there for a reason.

    ~hugs~

  2. That last paragraph is so true, Darla! It's a huge step in the right direction to get to that realization, it really is.

    And I think the idea of just writing what comes to you, whether or not it's on your personal agenda for the day, is perfect. The key is to just get some momentum going, and that means words on the page.

    Glad you had an "aha" moment, my friend!