Pros of Writer's Block

Pshaw! you say.  There can be no pros to writer's block!  It is the incarnation of pure evil!

Or you could say writer's block doesn't even exist.  It is only the product of our own laziness and unwillingness to sit down and work.

Yup, I've heard both arguments.  For one, I have to disagree with the latter--to an extent.  I think the very real and very annoying condition called writer's block can be abused if you aren't careful.  I do believe that we as writers tend to use the excuse of being blocked when really we're just easily distracted by all the sparkly things around us (e.g. twitter, blogger, facebook, etc.).  In this case, you just need to focus and get back on your writerly track.

However, when we are being blocked, what on God's green Earth can we do about it?  Well, you can patiently wait for it to pass.  I know, I know.  Some say you MUST write through it at all costs, and maybe that's one way of doing it, but I don't know if it's the best way.

Sometimes writer's block is the best thing that can happen to your writing.  It can be your mind's way of telling you it needs a breather, to the betterment of your WIP.

I've discovered three things over the years concerning writer's block:

     1. If I try to force myself to work through it, the product of my labors ends up being garbage that can taint my work for pages, chapters, or even the whole story.  99.9% of the time, I need to go back and change it.

     2. If I take a break, what I come up with at the end of the block is something that knocks my socks off.  It is something I never would have thought of if I hadn't taken a break from my WIP and that dramatically improves the work.

      3. True writer's block only lasts about a week.  Now, I've kept from writing and blamed it on being blocked for a LOT longer than a week, but If I'm being honest with myself, it was usually because I got into a lazy rut.  And I also know that some people have supposedly suffered from a block for years at a time.  Maybe that's true, I don't know.  I personally think there are other things at play there, like fear of actually putting yourself out there on paper, etc.  But for me, I'm usually over the block within a week.  This is the amount of time my mind needs to be refreshed.

And do you want to know what I've found is the best thing to do while being blocked?  Let my mind go on a vacation (aka read a book).  Seriously.  Let your mind enjoy someone else's labors for a little while and refresh your study of the writing craft at the same time.  By the end of the book, your mind will thank you and be raring to go!

But when that week has passed and that book is read, you better get your butt into your seat and work.  This is the time to force yourself to work through it.  If you think you should read another book or work on bettering your twitter account, your mind will take advantage of you the same way a child takes advantage of a mother who just wants peace and quiet.  If you do push yourself and force your mind to get to it, you will be shocked at the brilliance it comes up with.

Discussion: how do you guys handle writer's block?


~Emily White