Writer’s Block

After providing some thoughts on inspiration last week, it felt was only natural to touch on the essential opposite this week.

Writer’s block has definitely been the subject of a thousand blog posts by others in the past so I won’t be providing any revelatory redefinition of it here. The way I’ve always viewed writer’s block is just a simple lack of inspiration. It can take the shape of either an inability to find an idea to write about or an inability to know how to write about an existing idea. Knowing what to write or how to write both require creativity that’s fuelled by inspiration. What I don’t think counts are occasions when you don’t have time to write or when you just don’t feel like writing at all.

Thankfully, I haven’t had any real issues recently with this but I do consider my decade-long step away from creative writing to be a result of writer’s block. The art and business of writing was a complete mystery to me back then and I didn’t know what I was even supposed to do with a finished story. Speaking of which, the term ‘finished’ back then was just a first draft without spelling or grammatical errors. I hadn’t yet grasped the concept of editing. As a result, frustration grew alongside real-world pressures and I put my writing away.

With maturity, came a better understanding of how creative writing could fit back into my life. Doing so also allowed that frustration to melt away and inspiration to return. There’s no telling what happens in the future but, for now, I enjoy the small amount of time set aside for this passion each week.

Keep turning the page,

Chris