Tag: Writer’s Block

Journey of 1000 Miles

Maybe Don’t Get Out?

Jonas Lee

Someone asked me once what writer’s block was like, as if it were a physical ailment. I think I’ve finally created a good analogy (in my perspective at least).

Imagine going on a road trip, you pack all of your entertainment (music, books, games) in the back seat. At some point, you pull over to the side of the road and stretch your legs and then realize you left the car running and locked the doors. You know what you want to do and where you want to go except you can’t without causing destruction.

Solution: Believe it or not, get in another car. Start writing something else completely, different genre, prose, poetry, anything. Before you know it, you’ll find the help you need and get back in your original vehicle. Metaphorically speaking.

NOTE: {This post is NOT supporting actual hitchhiking. That shit is dangerous.}

Journey of 1000 Miles

Don’t Push Too Hard

Jonas Lee

Forcing one out will only lead to chaos and destruction. It will be messy and dirty and you will regret it. Just try to let it come at its own time. I’m talking about creative thoughts. Inevitably when writing, you will come to that point in the road. There is a path  leading you to the next spot where your story continues except you’ve hit a small hiccup, you’re out of gas. The thoughts fueling your imaginarium-mobile ran dry, you sputtered and now you’re stranded. You could trudge through and go on foot, but it’s a chilly bitch out there. You sure you want to risk it? You could get pretty lost and just have to trek back to pick up from where you started.

As ludicrous as it sounds, you produce your own fuel in your own time. I’ve found that if I write for too long, the elasticity of my imaginarium gets worn. To repair it, I either take a few days and listen to some music, read a book (other people’s works are inspiring) or watch a movie I’ve never seen before. Generally out of those three, something will get my motor running again. If not, try writing five pages on the first topic you’d like to see in your next book. A change of pace might help get you back into the creative spirit.

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