Todd Shimoda's Writer's Blog

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ENTRY

Blocking out the block
August 20, 2008

I've been writing seriously for, say, fifteen years. Oh, I'd been writing before that, maybe another fifteen years, but definitely not seriously. At least not what I consider serious writing now. But what's another story. What I'm discussing today is writer's block. After writing for so many years you'd think I'd know something about the topic. The problem is I'm not sure exactly what "writer's block" means.

Everyone has heard of the affliction, even non-writers. Mention writer's block and what comes to mind is a blank page in the typewriter, I mean a blank screen on the computer monitor, the writer sitting in front of it with an equally blank expression on her face. Okay, I get that ? the writer can't write, is stuck, something keeping her from putting words on paper, er, the screen.

What I have trouble with is understanding why the writer can't write. Is it because he doesn't know what he wants to write about? Or if she does know, does she not know how to get started? Is it because writing takes a tremendous cognitive effort and his brain is not in the mood for so much work? Or is she simply overwhelmed by the task? Maybe he's frozen by the probability of rejection?

Sure, I've experienced the pain of writing. The physical effort involved in sitting and creating and executing a vision can be draining. I've stared at a few blank or partially-filled screens, not sure what to do next. But I don't think I've ever experienced writer's block. At least not a long-term inability to write.

Let's face this fact - writing isn't easy. It ain't going to go smoothly. Road blocks litter the path. You've gotta climb over them, go around them. Figure out the root cause of the problem and deal with it however you can. Just don't let a temporary block become a long-term block. I'll talk about specifics in future posts.

#

© 2010

COMMENTS

Number of comments: 3
click here to add a comment

Lee Witte
Never thought of it like this, makes sense, less daunting somehow.

Jo Reed
To break through the block (or whatever it is) I imagine this acquaintance, a writer, I know and dislike writing and publishing more than me. can't stand the thought I I get down to it.

Lee Witte
I like your method Jo. The boxer attitude.

ARCHIVE

date (comments)

Review: Kissing the Mask
August 22, 2010 (1)

Jonathan Lethem: Writing at the margins
July 12, 2010 (2)

Review: Love in Translation
June 22, 2010 (3)

Jose Saramago
June 18, 2010 (0)

Marketplace of Ideas interview
June 11, 2010 (2)

Imagining Memory
May 6, 2010 (1)

Upcoming Los Angeles events
April 7, 2010 (2)

Time and energy
March 30, 2010 (2)

Review: Botchan
February 28, 2010 (2)

J.D. Salinger
January 28, 2010 (1)

2009 Reviewed
December 31, 2009 (5)

Review: The Word Book
December 12, 2009 (1)

Chaat and Chat event with OH!
November 6, 2009 (2)

Home at last
November 2, 2009 (2)

Los Angeles events
October 17, 2009 (1)

Poets and poetry
October 7, 2009 (1)

Time + place
September 24, 2009 (1)

The future of books
September 23, 2009 (1)

October book tour
September 6, 2009 (1)

Blogging at Powell's Books
August 28, 2009 (2)

The evolution of an idea
August 3, 2009 (1)

The Poetics of Motoori Norinaga: A Hermeneutical Journey
July 9, 2009 (2)

Tour debrief
July 2, 2009 (3)

Book tour events
May 18, 2009 (3)

Simply in the mood
April 24, 2009 (2)

Book tour
April 8, 2009 (6)

The Necessary Book
March 2, 2009 (2)

"Murder Makes the Magazine"
February 7, 2009 (3)

John Updike
January 27, 2009 (2)

2008 misc. (good news, bad news)
January 1, 2009 (3)

Publishing woes and query letters
December 13, 2008 (4)

Punctuation compunction
November 16, 2008 (3)

The Fountain of Youth (and other Ideas)
October 10, 2008 (2)

David Foster Wallace
September 14, 2008 (2)

Ending it all
September 12, 2008 (2)

The mystery of plotting, the plotting of mysteries
August 29, 2008 (3)

Blocking out the block
August 20, 2008 (3)

"What kind of books do you write?"
August 8, 2008 (2)

Theory of Satisfaction: Part 4
July 21, 2008 (3)

Show and tell
July 14, 2008 (3)

Theory of Satisfaction: Part 3
July 7, 2008 (7)

Advice for first-time writers (Barry Gifford and me)
June 30, 2008 (6)

Theory of Satisfaction: Part 2
June 18, 2008 (3)

To be or not to be
June 10, 2008 (6)

Theory of Satisfaction: Part 1
June 3, 2008 (6)

Virtual unreality
May 31, 2008 (4)

The purpose of this blog
May 21, 2008 (5)

Todd Shimoda's Writer's Blog home \| current \| forthcoming \| past \| contact
ENTRY Blocking out the block August 20, 2008 I've been writing seriously for, say, fifteen years. Oh, I'd been writing before that, maybe another fifteen years, but definitely not seriously. At least not what I consider serious writing now. But what's another story. What I'm discussing today is writer's block. After writing for so many years you'd think I'd know something about the topic. The problem is I'm not sure exactly what "writer's block" means. Everyone has heard of the affliction, even non-writers. Mention writer's block and what comes to mind is a blank page in the typewriter, I mean a blank screen on the computer monitor, the writer sitting in front of it with an equally blank expression on her face. Okay, I get that ? the writer can't write, is stuck, something keeping her from putting words on paper, er, the screen. What I have trouble with is understanding why the writer can't write. Is it because he doesn't know what he wants to write about? Or if she does know, does she not know how to get started? Is it because writing takes a tremendous cognitive effort and his brain is not in the mood for so much work? Or is she simply overwhelmed by the task? Maybe he's frozen by the probability of rejection? Sure, I've experienced the pain of writing. The physical effort involved in sitting and creating and executing a vision can be draining. I've stared at a few blank or partially-filled screens, not sure what to do next. But I don't think I've ever experienced writer's block. At least not a long-term inability to write. Let's face this fact - writing isn't easy. It ain't going to go smoothly. Road blocks litter the path. You've gotta climb over them, go around them. Figure out the root cause of the problem and deal with it however you can. Just don't let a temporary block become a long-term block. I'll talk about specifics in future posts. # © 2010	COMMENTS Number of comments: 3 click here to add a comment Lee Witte Never thought of it like this, makes sense, less daunting somehow. Jo Reed To break through the block (or whatever it is) I imagine this acquaintance, a writer, I know and dislike writing and publishing more than me. can't stand the thought I I get down to it. Lee Witte I like your method Jo. The boxer attitude.	ARCHIVE date (comments) Review: Kissing the Mask August 22, 2010 (1) Jonathan Lethem: Writing at the margins July 12, 2010 (2) Review: Love in Translation June 22, 2010 (3) Jose Saramago June 18, 2010 (0) Marketplace of Ideas interview June 11, 2010 (2) Imagining Memory May 6, 2010 (1) Upcoming Los Angeles events April 7, 2010 (2) Time and energy March 30, 2010 (2) Review: Botchan February 28, 2010 (2) J.D. Salinger January 28, 2010 (1) 2009 Reviewed December 31, 2009 (5) Review: The Word Book December 12, 2009 (1) Chaat and Chat event with OH! November 6, 2009 (2) Home at last November 2, 2009 (2) Los Angeles events October 17, 2009 (1) Poets and poetry October 7, 2009 (1) Time + place September 24, 2009 (1) The future of books September 23, 2009 (1) October book tour September 6, 2009 (1) Blogging at Powell's Books August 28, 2009 (2) The evolution of an idea August 3, 2009 (1) The Poetics of Motoori Norinaga: A Hermeneutical Journey July 9, 2009 (2) Tour debrief July 2, 2009 (3) Book tour events May 18, 2009 (3) Simply in the mood April 24, 2009 (2) Book tour April 8, 2009 (6) The Necessary Book March 2, 2009 (2) "Murder Makes the Magazine" February 7, 2009 (3) John Updike January 27, 2009 (2) 2008 misc. (good news, bad news) January 1, 2009 (3) Publishing woes and query letters December 13, 2008 (4) Punctuation compunction November 16, 2008 (3) The Fountain of Youth (and other Ideas) October 10, 2008 (2) David Foster Wallace September 14, 2008 (2) Ending it all September 12, 2008 (2) The mystery of plotting, the plotting of mysteries August 29, 2008 (3) Blocking out the block August 20, 2008 (3) "What kind of books do you write?" August 8, 2008 (2) Theory of Satisfaction: Part 4 July 21, 2008 (3) Show and tell July 14, 2008 (3) Theory of Satisfaction: Part 3 July 7, 2008 (7) Advice for first-time writers (Barry Gifford and me) June 30, 2008 (6) Theory of Satisfaction: Part 2 June 18, 2008 (3) To be or not to be June 10, 2008 (6) Theory of Satisfaction: Part 1 June 3, 2008 (6) Virtual unreality May 31, 2008 (4) The purpose of this blog May 21, 2008 (5)