Among the many shared experiences of writers, we all understand the struggle with writer’s block. Sometimes it’s figuring out what to write next, and sometimes it’s figuring out how to write it. Some writers wait for inspiration to come along, while others establish a routine and expect inspiration to come once they start. In any case, the path to satisfaction with our work is not an easy one.
This past month was a massive case of writer’s block for me. I took a week off from work for a writer’s retreat, and I spent that week reading in a hammock. Instead of getting any work done on the two books I wanted to write, I came up with an idea for another book. And thanks to my writer’s block, I only figured out a day ago what to write for my next blog post.
One thing I’ve learned in therapy is that I can find solutions to my problems by writing about them. So for this post, I’ve decided to write about how I’ve dealt with writer’s block in the past and what I’m doing now.
Taking a Break
There’s a scene from Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service where Kiki goes to stay at her friend Ursula’s cabin. Kiki—a witch in training—has lost her magic, and she’s figuring out what to do next. Ursula relates Kiki’s experience to hers as a painter. She tells Kiki she sometimes struggles to paint anything, and advises her to take a break.
“Stop trying. Take long walks, look at the scenery, doze off at noon, don’t even think about flying. And then, pretty soon you’ll be flying again!”
I took this advice for a couple of years. And in that time span, I didn’t get much done. I’d effectively given up on my book series. I managed to brainstorm ideas for other stories, but I didn’t get much done on that front either. It took two years to post anything on my blog, and then another year to reestablish a routine with it.
Then the answer came to me when I stumbled on the YouTube video How to Be Creative: How an Artist Turns Pro. It’s important to note the creator of the video focuses primarily on white male artists, both in visuals and in the essay itself. That said, he says the fundamental difference between amateurs and professionals is whether or not they have established a routine. And he quotes Steven Pressfield’s book The War of Art to back up his point: “The amateur waits for inspiration. The professional knows that it will come after he starts.” Earlier this summer, I decided to give it a shot.
Establishing a Routine
Since I work a full-time job and I have things to do when I clock out, I didn’t think it wise to try writing every day from the get-go. So I decided to start with three evenings a week for two hours before bedtime. At 6:45, I’d queue up a meditation video to help me focus. And from seven to nine, I write whatever I can. I pour some water or tea to drink, I put on music, and I put away all other distractions. Even if it’s just my thoughts on how the day went, I write.
For a while, it worked. I had a few hundred words added to my files every time I sat down at my desk. I felt like a writer again.
Then I hit a snag with one of the books I wanted to write. I got stuck on a plot point. So I switched to another project. The same thing happened with that one too. And my other writing projects. Until finally, I couldn’t even work on my blog. My writing routine fell apart, and on my writer’s retreat I resigned myself to seven days of reading in a hammock.
I know I need to get back into writing. And I know I need to get back to my book projects, especially if I want to turn pro. The problem is, I’m still a little nervous to get back to them. I still haven’t worked through the snags I’m stuck on. So this time, I’m going to try something different to work through the lack of inspiration for these projects.
Talking Through the Problem
One of my writing projects is the second installment to my Tales of Anino series. I’ve made some good headway into it so far, though I still have a long way to go. This one has many snags, but one in particular is establishing themes. And the theme in question is chasing desire. My mindset is, desire is both good and bad. The things we want shape who we are and give us something to strive for. But the pursuit of happiness can also drive us to madness, especially if what we want interferes with someone else’s safety and well-being. And I have no idea how to put all that into this book. All the ideas I come up with are contradictory and leave the story with a confusing conclusion.
I started my second book project this summer when I settled into a routine. It’s a standalone medieval fantasy that deals with the aftermath of a witch genocide. The snag came in the first chapter at the jousting tournament scene. I could use the tournament to establish the setting: the politics and values of the nobles, where the main characters fit in, and how they feel about the genocide. I still need to figure out how to do this without losing my readers’ attention.
Once I wrote that last paragraph, I realized that the problem isn’t in establishing the setting (although that’s part of the solution). The solution is to establish the main characters’ desires and the things standing in their way. This book is told from the perspective of three characters, switching narrators between chapters. Eva, the naïve princess who takes on a quest to restore magic to the kingdom. Philip, the older brother who wishes to prove himself to his subjects. And Morgana, the only witch who survived the genocide.
I’ve figured out the desires and fears for both the prince and the witch. Morgana wishes to live out her life in peace, and she fears those who still want her dead. Philip wants to earn the respect of his subjects, and he fears he’s not good enough to be king. But for Eva, the narrator for the first chapter, I still need to figure out what she wants and what she’s afraid of. She wants romance, she wants a life without rules, and she wants the respect of the other nobles. But which of these desires would motivate her the most? And what fear could I establish in the first chapter that could stand in her way?
I do have a third project in the works, but I’m still in the planning stages so it’s too early to talk about any snags. In any case, these books are staring me in the face, waiting for me to continue. I will take breaks, reestablish routines as my life changes, and write about my problems. And even without writer’s block, a part of me will always be afraid to sit down and write. But I also know I’ll never be satisfied until I try.
