Writer's Block

Charlotte Withers, a typical insecure 17 year old high school outcast, leans against a tree trunk.
Uh, wait, this is an awful way to begin a story.
How about: An ordinary teen named Charlotte Withers may seem decent but appearances are treacherous. Char is insecure, angst-ridden, bizarre – all the symptoms of a modern-day Ishmael. (I hope someone caught that biblical reference. You know, how Ishmael was the son of Abraham and was cast out after the birth of Isaac? Yes? No . . .? Okay, I'm guessing it's a no.) Maybe I should throw in some archetypes into this hopeless mix. But what if no one even catches them? More allusions, perhaps? Is anyone even reading these blogs? Hello? . . .

That's what generally runs through my mind as I slam into a creative wall also known as a 'writer's block.' It can be frustrating; it can be depressing. Sometimes it forces me to reevaluate my talents as an aspiring writer. I wonder if there's an original idea in my wormy brain, hiding in the corner of the grungy basement of my mind. Or maybe I've exhausted my inventiveness and the only way to manage is to slightly obscure an existing thought. But it's unlikely I'll ever resort to such tomfoolery.

No matter how high or intimidating the mental 'block' may be, creativity thrives in the cavern of every mind – of both yours and mine. You just have to be motivated enough to poke and prod your way through the dark to discover it. That newfangled idea isn't going to conceal itself in obvious places like behind the bathroom door or under the bedsheets. No, it's a crafty one – a sly entity. It prefers unusual spots such as the crevice of a cracked linoleum tile or beneath the floorboards. Don't underestimate its aptitude. Once you come across it, however, it becomes a writer's ultimate pal. It is boundless; it is infinite. It gives and lends and forms ideas and permits you to use them.

When I collide with a writer's block, I tend to feel a sense of defeat. I mull around and ponder where my stories strayed, when the ideas stopped flowing. But the time and place are insignificant. Just write about anything. Compose an account of your day. Open a word document or whip out that ball-point pen and paper and jot down whimsical ideas. Observe your environment and chance upon inspiration. Jam out to music and heed the lyrics. Go for a stroll and think aloud. These walls, mental barricades, obstacles aren't there to keep you down; they're there to be broken by tenacious writers who are cognizant of their ability. This applies to life. If you desire something enough (and I mean, willing to reach the absolute limit), nothing will impede you. Thus is the glory of the dynamic human spirit. So just keep writing, just keep writing, just keep writing, writing, writing – and you're golden.