Yesterday, I came across a quote that said there is no such thing as writer’s block. It claims that what hinders us is instead fear, procrastination, perfectionism and laziness. And not just laziness, but pure laziness.
I’m interested to know what you think?
Peeking from behind slightly parted curtains, I sheepishly declare that whether you throw exploding tomatoes or rub browning mashed banana in my face, I’m just going to have duck down and simultaneously stand (difficult to do) united with Thrasher.
There’s many a time I sit down full of serious hope and intention with absolutely no idea what’s to come of it. But that’s the thing – if I let my vacant brain off the hook – if I never sat down just because I had nothing, nothing would ever emerge.
Nothing.
Ever.
Of course there’s fear. Very different from the fear that you’ll awake to an unwelcome stranger in the middle of the night or that you’re going to run out of gas going through a high-traffic tunnel. It’s the fear that you’re choosing to play the fool, that someone will laugh, find your work a shabby replica or perhaps worse, all too authentic.
No writer, with any living acquaintance, wants to pen dark, risqué or just plain screwed up and have people believe that that’s what’s really thought or felt by them.
You see no one, other than another writer, can truly understand a writer’s thought process. It’s that what if that’s been so over-exposed. And, I almost hate to bring it up again, but in the end, that is what it’s all about. That little catalytic question that brings a writer to a thought where they, before deciding to write it all down, pray no one ever finds out they conjured it up.
I think this may be the true meaning of irony.
Procrastination. Well damn, that’s an easy one. Hmm, should I tackle the crap that I know I can get done successfully, or should I sit down and type for hours, hoping that I get at least one half decent sentence out of it? Should I make sure my family has food and clean clothes, or should I while the hours away writing something that no one may ever read? Should I show anyone what has turned out to be definite drivel? No? Okay, what do I say I’ve been doing for the past six hours instead of making sure the kids were picked up and the bills were paid then?
Enough said on that.
Perfectionism. I have countless closets, nooks, crannies, projects and plans that remain untackled due to a silent and highly unrecognized, misunderstood affliction called perfectionism. I literally have to talk myself into starting something that I know I only have twenty to thirty minutes to work on. I, to my core, feel that I should not start a project that I don’t have to time to see through, not only to completion, but to painstaking precision. I will literally allow a stain to stay on my floor for a week because I don’t have the time to get down on my hands and knees and scrub the entire wood surface (which includes a kitchen, dining room, hallway, living room and front hall) rather than just swiftly wiping up the singular mark that lies right in front of the kitchen sink. So, you can imagine my dilemma, not having a solid six months to sit down and write an entire novel without stopping.
Perfectionism is show-stopping.
Laziness. This is the one and only point I’m iffy on. Actually, a little more than iffy. This one irks me. Speaking for myself, and any other writer I’ve ever interacted with, whatever the task or tribulation at hand, we’d love to toss it aside to write. Which I guess, could be deemed a different kind of lazy, but that’s not what Thrasher is talking about here. He’s referring to writers who are lazy about writing.
I believe, if you feel in any way, like you couldn’t be bothered to write, then you’re not a writer. A true writer should be thinking about their next opportunity to write any time their eyes are open and they are breathing. There. I said it.
It’s up to us. No one is cheering us on to be what might be viewed as a sedentary slop. Not a soul is saying, Hey, sit on down. Chill with your laptop. We get it. You’re writing. In reality, many are biting their tongues on words like aloof, rude, lazy and antisocial.
We may not yet be Khaled Hosseini, Stephen King or Danielle Steel, but if we don’t stand up and sit down, we never will be.
I’ve read similar articles about how writer’s block is fake, but it sure is a persistent and daunting illusion.
LikeLike
Hi Paul,
An empty idea reservoir can definitely be daunting, but I strongly believe that if you let stop you from trying, you will always end up with nothing. Inspiration has many other people grasping for its dangling carrots and is not about to give them up to the one who’s not even reaching.
Despite all my bravado, which is mainly to convince ME to keep trying, I know how you feel. It’s tough sometimes…most of the time…to make yourself sit down and ‘fake it ’til you make it’.
Thank you so much for coming by and for commenting. I hope to see you again. ~ Alana
LikeLike
The floor can wait, just write Hazy!
LikeLike
Can you come clean it? ;0)
LikeLike
My problem is that I can’t just sit down and write for ten minutes (I wish I could) so I need to set aside blocks of hours to work on my WiPs. Today (for example) I’m about to paint walls (again) so I’m figuring that will take me about 4 hours for prep and painting. When that’s finished I hope to sit down for another four hours and write (I said ‘hope’) 😉
LikeLike
So yeah…we’re twins. 😉
I HOPE you got to write too, Dianne!
LikeLike
argh – I didn’t 😦
LikeLike
Perfectionism is show stopping – love it! So true. Such an uphill battle. 🙂
LikeLike
Yes it is. Trudge, trudge, trudge. I’ve also managed to hurdle down the other side in a landslide once or twice as well. Both situations are tough to recover from. ;-P
LikeLike
I used to think that I had writer’s block because I still can’t write fiction. If I tried to write a free verse poem, it sounded like an essay. On the rare occasions that I tried to write fiction, there wasn’t enough plot to keep up my interest, so I would abandon ship. Every time I could essays and my thoughts down for hours. I think my writer’s block was denial of nonfiction.
LikeLike
Hi Scarlet,
It’s great that you’re finding your writer’s voice. You’re right – not everyone is meant to write fiction and non-fiction will be just as fulfilling if that’s your heart’s desire. Good for you for not giving up!
Thank you so much for stopping in. I hope to see you again. ~ Alana
LikeLike
great post……
LikeLike
Thank you, Haridasgowra!
LikeLike
The ‘lazy’ point was great. I would put aside anything in order to find time to write, just life gets in the way!
Great post 🙂
LikeLike
Yeah, I think most writers feel that way. Eat, sleep and breathe it…at least in thought. Anyone who works for a living outside of writing, or who has people relying on them can’t possibly live solely for the written word. But…there are ways to be fulfilled in both. We just have to keep on keeping on. 😉
Thanks for commenting!
LikeLike
Love the quote by Pablo. I don’t ascribe to any version of the “writer’s block.” Right now I don’t have writer’s block, I just don’t know how to end my current novel so I’m doing all sorts of things that keep me from dwelling and agonizing. It will come. It always does.
LikeLike
It definitely will, PC and that’s why we never give up. We’d miss out on all the magic. 😊 I’m cheering you on from here.
LikeLike
Thanks, Hazy!
LikeLike
My two cents: ‘writer’s block’ is anything that blocks the writing process. As there are certainly obstacles that do just that, I believe it does in fact, exist.
That said, I think you summed up the suggested causes (fear, procrastination, perfectionism and laziness) quite well. I think, too, the line between fear and laziness is a thin line, at times. Pure laziness is one thing, but opting to do something easier because the writing process can be such work is something else. I’ve been guilty of that on many occasions, but I would not call myself a lazy person or a lazy writer.
LikeLike
OMG. I just realized, on seeing your reply, that I was *disagreeing*, not agreeing, with you…and I did so in a wildly tactless manner. (Somehow, I got the impression you were disagreeing more than agreeing with that quote. Looking back on your post, I have no idea how I got that impression.)
I did not mean to bash you on your own blog! I’m embarrassed to the point of being horrified. I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to rail on you!
I can see the concept of writer’s block from both directions, and I was using a snarky tone mistakenly thinking we were saying the same thing. I’m the idiot.
LikeLike
I just realized I never responded to this. I apologize for the delay!
Yes, of course it exists. I sometimes, for the sake of debate, I throw crazy things out there. You’re quite right – writer’s block can be anything that stops you from writing. And, there are many (oh so many) things that stop us, aren’t there?
But I still feel that if we force ourselves to sit down and plug through the distractions and idealess minds, we will win in the end.
Thanks for commenting, Adam!
LikeLike
I think as writers we all go through each of these. Writers block sometimes can be daunting and at others it can quickly be vanquished. It think it comes about by life’s distractions at times. Overall, it can be infuriating.
LikeLike
It definitely can, Phil. And it feels so good when we are able to work through it. 🙂
LikeLike