Writer’s Block

I am blocked. It strikes every writer, regardless of who they are or what they once wrote. The dreaded writer’s block hits indiscriminately. There is only one cure for writer’s block. That is to force each word out into coherent sentences and paragraphs. If this post seems a little forced, that’s why. It is forced. I’m forcing each word to come out.

There are books on how to beat writer’s block. There are webpages devoted to it. if you type “writer’s bl” – the engine, if it supplies write ahead suggestions – puts writer’s block first. It’s prevalent and out there. I have it now. Wikipedia has a nice piece on it – its causes. Many web pages have so-called cures, which usually involve the only cure that there is, writing. You have to sit down and write through it.

Some people use exercise. I use timed writing. There’s something about a timer dictating the time that I write that makes the words flow more smoothly. I have no idea what it is, I only know that it seems to work. So I am using that technique as well.

Another technique that I use is to open up contractions. I will use I am rather than I’m. it gives me a sense that I am producing more words. Well, I am in a way. Instead of condensing my words into contractions, I use them separately so they count. Of course, they were implied and always counted, but that is not the point. The point is that that simple trick helps me get more words out onto my computer screen. I know that I can always go back and edit the work. Getting the rough draft out first is the most important part of writing.

I think my block has a simple cause. I have assigned myself too many writing tasks and I don’t know what to do first. Should I work on the back ground for next November’s NaNoWriMo project? Should I edit last November’s NaNoWriMo project? Should I work on preparing my completed manuscript for publication through Smashwords? Should I start prepping FCIS for publication as an eBook? I have plans to do that when the posts are complete, later this summer. I don’t know. I do not know which project to work on and that is the source of this block, I think. I need to sit down and make a few decisions. I need to assign deadlines to the various projects and work on each of them in turn. Sometimes multitasking can bog you down.

Computers slow down when you give them too much to do at once. That is what has happened to me. That is why I am blocked. Sometimes, though, the only solution to writer’s block is to write. Identifying the cause helps, but it is still only a part of the problem. It all boils down to the only solution to writer’s block that there is and that is to sit down and just write. It is as simple as that.

About pebblepup

I am not one who is comfortable talking about myself but here goes. I enjoy writing, family history, and reading. I decided to do this blog because I wanted to try something new. I decided to make it a weekly blog because I wasn't sure that I could keep up with a daily one, and monthly seemed like I was writing a magazine. I think I did ok with my choices. You'll notice that there are not a lot of graphics on my site. That's because there are graphics plastered everywhere on the Internet and those sites sometimes take forever to load. This blog is a place where you can kick back, relax and be ready to be amused. At least I hope I willbamuse you. This blog is on a variety of subjects from my ficitional cat agency, the FFL, which is monthly, to instructional blogs to editorials, which are my opinions only. I admit that I don't know everything and could be wrong -- I frequently am. Now, stop reading about me and read what I have to say!