by Rachel Smith
24 August 2013
It’s said that when writer’s block struck Les Miserables author Victor Hugo, he gave his manservant his clothes so he was left naked, with just pen, paper and ink. Neil Gaiman deals with a creative block by putting work aside for a few days, or longer. Dan Brown reportedly pops on a pair of gravity boots and hangs upside down to get ideas flowing.
Maya Angelou’s solution is to just keep plugging away, even if it’s gibberish. “I may write for two weeks … and it might be just the most boring, awful stuff,” she says. “But I try. When I’m writing, I write. And then it’s as if the muse is convinced that I’m serious and says, ‘Okay. Okay. I’ll come’.”
We all know the other ways: go for a walk, make a cup of tea, meditate, go to your coffice and write there. For me, writer’s block can send me down an unproductive spiral of Facebook and cat videos, so the cure is simple: I cut off distractions and swap my copy into a new font. The effect is immediate: the words on the page, like naughty children who wouldn’t sit still or do what I wanted them to, are thrown by the change and forced to behave. And suddenly, I’m interested in them again. The angle seems almost fresh, and my tired or restless brain wakes up.
This could be a cure that started because I feverishly collect fonts like some people collect – well, shoes. Or cat videos. The tragedy is, I can rarely use them for anything except busting writer’s block. So the font I choose depends on my mood; sometimes I want something nostalgic, like American Typewriter; or the handwritten feel of Christopher Hand or Indie Queen. Then there are times only wacky will do: Habaja Vieja or Scratchy. Luckily, I haven’t forgotten and filed a piece to an editor while it’s still in a strange font, but never say never.
How often do you get writer’s block – and what’s your strategy for getting rid of it?
I don’t get writer’s block as much as I used to because I’m writing every day (on 750words.com) but if I’m struggling I have a shower. I get my best ideas in the shower!
Thanks for introducing me to that site Krissy – I just checked it out. Awesome idea! I may try that if/when my font swap strategy fails me 🙂
Do you start with that site every morning to get the creative juices flowing, or is it something you resort to if you get writers block and just want to do a brain dump, etc?
And, I agree with you about the shower thing – I need to get one of those waterproof notepad things.
I generally do 750words at night – that’s my allocated personal free writing time. After 6 I can turn off all the client stuff and concentrate on my WIP. Do check out the site – its been the best thing I’ve ever done writing wise. (I’m on a 2+ year streak writing every day. It’s made me disciplined which was something I definitely was not!)
Funny – I can *only* write/edit in Helvetica pt size 12. I did have a wonderful contributor recently who generously offered to let me steal his signature font – 24pt Helvetica Neue. Very statement making!
Lis, you NEED to branch out. I can give you a list of, oh 500 fonts you might want to try? 🙂
If I’m stuck with an article, I take a short break (usually tea and/or Candy Crush) and then I read through all my research and transcripts again to try to pick up the thread. I tend to be pretty organised though: after completing the research phase I structure the article on subheadings and a few points under each subhead so I know how to segue from one point to the next.
P.S: If anyone wants a waterproof notepad and pencil, I have one I bought for a friend that I forgot to give to her before she moved away.
I must be the only person in the world who doesn’t a) know what Candy Crush is or b) plays it. No wait, I just asked my partner if he’s ever played it and he said, ‘What’s that?’ I now must go find out what all the fuss is about 🙂
I do the subhead thing too when I want the structure really clear; works well.
And, I would love to buy / take the waterproof notepad off your hands for an experiment in shower ideas! Maybe we can meet up for an inner west coffee sometime, Adeline?
Rachel, I haven’t and don’t play Candy Crush either.
Phew, I’m not alone!
Love the font swap idea, I must give it a try!
For me, stepping away from the computer is a good start. The problem is I often get sucked into other distractions …
Me too. Although I’m currently staring at a pile of washing I have ignored for nearly a week so maybe I’m getting better at ignoring those 🙂
I find it helps to write every day, even if it’s your own blog, a letter to a friend or something which may never get published like a short story/novel/play etc.
Another trick I use is to write a letter to a friend and then segue to the project at hand as quickly as possible.
Also, try to work out where the block is. I find it’s usually one of these:
1. I don’t know what I want to say. In this case try planning out the story, main points, quotes to use etc.
2. I feel I don’t have enough material. Occasionally this is true, but usually it’s not. Either way the way around it is to just dive in and get started. Usually, what’s lacking is not material but that compelling voice that makes you think aha, that’s the peg I want to hang this story on.
3. I know the subject so well that I have too much material and it’s all whirling around inside my head and I can’t work out what angle to take or I’m trying to fit in too much stuff. This problem really is a planning thing, what do you want to say. If you’re lucky enough to have been given a good brief, follow it.
4. I’m scared. This sometimes happens when I get into a magazine or newspaper section that I’ve really wanted to get into and I finally crack it. I really want to do a good job but that little voice in my head has convinced me that I can’t write and I’m a fraud etc. etc. My way around this is to read some of my old clips to remind myself I can write and reach out to some friends whose opinion of my writing I value. Without fail they point out I’ve been freelancing for over 11 years and that really I should just get on with it.
5. Doing something physical helps as well. Go for a walk, do some gardening, jog, ride a bike.
All of this resonates with me so much Darren! Particularly point 3) and 4) – sometimes TOO much info is really debilitating.
And, I too generally get a block when I get commissioned by a new editor. I’m so keen to get it right and ironically that can paralyse me a bit.