So I have said before that I don’t really believe in “writer’s block”. I know a lot of writers do and I totally get it. I just know for me I don’t really get it in the traditional sense. I know myself and if I want to write I can. Do I have difficulties at different points in a story? Absolutely. But for me it is part of the process.
I am always happy and excited to start a story. I fall in love with my new characters. They are all bright and shiny with possibilities. They haven’t shown their true colors or proven to be difficult yet.
There haven’t been any twists and turns in the plot that I have to wriggle my way out of. I haven’t waltzed myself into any dark alleys with a dead end.
Now once I get myself into the middle of my story that’s when the trouble starts. I am right there now with the second book. This is when my lovely muse whispers things like “What if we changed the setting to Alaska?” Uh, no. “What if we made the bad guy someone else?” Focus, please. “What if we killed off this character? I never liked her.” Do your work!
It feels a bit like it did when I would try to get my son to do his schoolwork. When he was seven. So I don’t really believe in writer’s block but I do think the writing process never flows in a straight line. It is a process and because it’s creative staying on task can be a challenge. At least for me.
If I put my fingers on the keyboard I will write something. It’s just a matter of whether I will like it or not. Will I have to go back and change it? Am I getting myself into a place I can’t get out of? Is this the direction I want to go with the story? Sometimes I just have to trust the muse knows what she is doing. And besides isn't that what rewrites are for?
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