‘Writer’s Block’ Revisited

“How do you deal with writer’s block?” I’ve answered that one a lot, on the podcast, in my classroom, and here on my site. I know what I said: ‘Write’. I’ve provided several instructions that work well for me, when I’m committed. But what if your commitment has slipped?

Writing can be a delicate process. It is easy to say we can’t write when we aren’t ‘in the zone’. There are countless things that get into my brain and make it hard to be productive. Life can often get in the way of itself. Always take time to nurse your wounds, take care of yourself and your loved ones, and renew the sources of your inspiration. But you also need to be aware of how your brain works, and the capacity it has to distract you from things you want, but that might be hard.

And that’s where, for me, writing fits. I WANT to write, but it is often hard. Especially lately, it takes a LOT for me to slide into the worlds of my imagination in any meaningful way. I have a very easy time convincing myself that obstacles are harder to overcome than they really are. Facebook is VERY hard for me to understand. And so I’ve avoided it. This website is tough. So my mind slides off of it and onto other things. I can come up with a million pieces of busy work that don’t really get me closer to my goal, but make me FEEL like I’m working.

You need to be self-aware enough to realize when that is happening, and push doubly hard against it.

So, what do I do? Part of it IS having to just do the work. But how?

Last summer I discovered a meditation trick that I was able to put to very good effect. I present it to you now, in the hopes that it might help you, and so I can find it more easily the next time I forget.

First, settle into your standard writing location. Make sure you will be able to immediately get to the work when you’re ready.

Close your eyes and remember a location you are VERY familiar with. Conjure it up in as much detail as you can manage. This is why choosing somewhere you are very familiar with is important.

Once you’ve got the place firmly in mind, explore it. Walk around. Remember how things feel, where they are in relation to each other. See it from different perspectives.

Take a minute or two, but don’t linger for more than five. When you are firmly situate

d in that place, and you’ve explored it, simply open your eyes and begin the work.

You should find that your imagination has been engaged without worrying about your writing.

Your mind has settled into the rhythm of creation through familiar channels, and should easily slide into your work.

You have tricked your mind ‘into the zone.’

As a variation, I sometimes create an imaginary gaming table out of the terrain I know I have, and I explore it as if it’s life sized.

Next time you encounter writer’s block, or even if you just want to play with deepening your mindset, give this technique a try.

Let me know how it works! I swear, I’m figuring this website out; I’ll figure out how to respond to everyone!

Until next time (and, God willing and the creek don’t rise, that will be in two weeks and regularly from now on), just put pen to paper, and happy writing!

~Craig