Hands up everyone who's doing drugs!

[naomi_jay]

I just found this article by Robert Winston about creative block (jncluding writers' block). Lots of interesting stuff there about musicians gassing themselves, but obviously I'm more interested in the writerly bit. I've been pretty open about the fact that I've suffered from depression, and how much I hate this idea that misery equals great creativity*, so I like that Winston notes so many of these composers and writers did not produce their best work during periods of depression. Rather, they struggled through the depression caused by lack of inspiration in order to create.**

I'm not sure how I feel about writers' block; whether it really exists, or whether it's a convenient excuse for not working. I definitely have days when I don't want to write, or can't think of anything to write, but if I make myself do it, I usually get in the swing eventually. I can't remember who said it, but I'm a firm believer in the idea that "you can edit anything except a blank page." In other words, even if you've got 10 pages of crap, that's still 10 pages, right?

On the other hand, I struggled horribly with the original sequel to SILVER KISS, BAD DOGS. Every time I opened the document up to work on it, I became more and more convinced it was utter tripe and would never be as good as SILVER KISS. In the end I was afraid to try to work on it. So I scrapped it, started BLOOD HUNT and found I was much happier. Was that writers' block, or just the wrong project at the wrong time? Or just rampant neuroticism on my part?

What do other people think? Writers, do you get writers' block? Non-writers, do you believe in it, or are we all just a bunch of wangsty emo kids who should shut up and get back to work?

*If I could imprint one message upon humanity's collective unconsciousness, it would be that depression and art are not the same thing. You do not have to be some tortured, maudlin, absinthe-swigger to produce works of beauty. Being creative does not automatically make you some darkity-dark Byronic figure, okay?

**Probably worth noting that one of the commentors on this article notes that his best work comes when he's unhappy.

Comments

[nathreee.livejournal.com]

Thing is that I've only ever worked on one project at the time and sometimes you just get stuck. That's not really writer's block, that's a kink in the story. I fix it by taking a breather; when I come back to the story later, it all seems much clearer. Sometimes I fabricate a new perspective, I call my RPG friends and roleplay the stuck scene to see what others would do with it.

I was never a firm believer in writer's block, or even depression, or gaming addiction (which is not totally unrelated), I believe that with willpower and some discipline you can always make sure life goes on and work gets done. No reason to get all angsty and woe is me. There is always something to do.

Which doesn't mean I never had a depression. I spent a few months at home feeling miserable. It happens. But it's never the end of the world, and there's always stuff to do. In our case, stories to write.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

That's pretty much been my attitude too (although I've never tried roleplaying scenes - maybe I will!). I think you can work out whatever problem you're having with a story without turning to drugs or drink! Didn't seem to do Shelley any good in the long run anyway...

[dwg.livejournal.com]

I'm not a huge believer in writers block, but I do understand getting stuck on something. And usually taking a break and doing something else helps get some perspective, so I'm not going "why isn't this working? What's wrong? This isn't going how it's supposed to go even though I'm following my notes to the letter. What."

And then the agony over slushfiling begins. But sometimes taking out the thing I love the most about a piece winds up improving it. See also my OFBB where I have probably scrapped almost as much as I've written because things just keep going in circles and I get hung up on character moments and the details.

Course, my version of taking a break usually means "writing in the other word doc" and it's not unusual for me to be juggling two or three at any given time. I get stuck, I move onto the next.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Course, my version of taking a break usually means "writing in the other word doc"

Ha, yes! Or maybe "check Facebook, check Twitter, check emails, go back to writing" in my case. At the moment though, I'm working on a novella about dragon armaggedon to keep myself distracted. I've written the most info-dumpy first chapter evah!

[acidamoeba.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I believe writer's block exists per se, but I do know from personal experiece that external factors (stress, real life situations and other disturbances) contribite to pulling the mind frpm the writing. I also think that if you go and go and go without taking a break,idea's will just dry up- and I know self-doubt and low self esteem impact deeply on that - personal experience again.

I went through three years of constant start-stops and despising every word I typed until I just didn't write anything at all, and I think the only way to "cure" the block is to walk away, be it for a day or a year or more, and not put pressue on yourself fo finish.

In three years I changed as a person and when I finally had the confidance and sat back in my computer chair, I had a different mind set and fresh eyes and now I'm writing 2000-3000 words a day on several different projects and if I hit a bump in one, I switch to another and let my subconscious bubble away in the background.

This is just personal experience and opinion. Obviously, what worked for me might not work for another.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

That's awesomely cool :) And yeah, I guess it's down to personality and how you handle stress and difficulty.

[etaknosnhoj.livejournal.com]

It seems none of us are quite sure about writers block, doesn't it? I do try to stick to one writing project at a time so I can keep it straight in my head, but sometimes the story just isn't working and I need to do something else. Maybe take a break from that story, if it's not under some sort of of deadline. If it is, do something non-writerly.

And as for depression? The hardest time for me to write is when I'm miserable. The words just won't play and I don't care about the story. And it's self-perpetuating, because the less I write the worse I feel. I've worked in some crappy jobs that have made me exhausted and depressed, and I just can't write a thing no matter how much time I have.

The only way I can think of it is that I have a separate Writer's Brain inside my head, and if I upset it or piss it off by not using it enough or devoting the rest of my brain to Some Other Task for too long, the Writer's Brain goes on strike and refuses to work until it's been given some TLC.

My Writer's Brain is very fragile. I think it might have *whisper it* Special Needs.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

the less I write the worse I feel. I've worked in some crappy jobs that have made me exhausted and depressed, and I just can't write a thing no matter how much time I have.

You just summed up my life right now, lol. I'm getting tired of sitting around waiting for someone to give me all their money so I can write full-time.

[blythe025.livejournal.com]

I think writer's block is a myth, in the sense that its very easy to get caught up in fear and laziness and just not write. I think, too, that often writers get it into their head that they have to work on a particular project or that it has to immediately be a work or shear irrepressible genius, and then they beat their head against the pages trying to force it all out.

If you just keep writing, just let the words -- any words -- come, then you won't get blocked. Words are always there. Our heads are full of them, we just have to not be too attached to ideas and projects that aren't working for us.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

it has to immediately be a work or shear irrepressible genius, and then they beat their head against the pages trying to force it all out.

Yeah, that's pretty much what happened to me with Bad Dogs! Once I'd got it out of my head that I had to create some world-changing piece of fiction, I felt much better.

[spiderling.livejournal.com]

I have had artists block before, when everything I drew was crap, but for writers block, yeah, if you just put it away for a day the next sentance will spring to mind.

I beleive it wa Ray Bradbury who said 'The muse cannot ignore a working writer' which mean just write and something will come out paper, and if you give it long enough it'll turn into something good.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Good advice! At least if you have something to begin with, you can polish it up later

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

I used to get writer's block when I was in my teens, but in retrospect my problem was that I simply didn't have any life experience, and so lacked anything to write about. After all, even science fiction is about people, and I knew no more about people than I did about anything else. By the time I hit my mid-twenties my experience with writer's block was over. In fact, I'm overwhelmed with ideas, and rarely run into trouble when I sit down to write; my biggest problem is having the discipline to plant my butt in the chair.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Lol, yeah! Butt in chair does not always happen for me either. I'm too easily distracted.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Me, too. I think I know why some writers rent an office space.