I honestly don’t know a single author who hasn’t had
writer’s block at least once in their career. Most of the time it’s a regular
occurrence. For me it happens every novel, generally around the same point each
time. I wish I had the recipe for some magical writing potion you could
brew….wait….coffee anyone? For each author, breaking the block is different. So
even if I did tell you to spin around twice and chug a Pepsi while holding your
breath, chances are you’d just end up really dizzy and bloated.
What works for me is simple. I sit my butt down in front of
the computer and force my fingers to type regardless of whether or not I like
what I’m writing. Getting the content out is the hardest part. Like Anne
Lamott says:
The first draft is the child's draft, where you let it all pour out and then let it romp all over the place, knowing that no one is going to see it and that you can shape it later. You just let this childlike part of you channel whatever voices and visions come through and onto the page. If one of the characters wants to say, "Well, so what, Mr. Poopy Pants?," you let her. No one is going to see it.
Now, practically even better news…All good writers write them. This is how they end up with good second drafts and terrific third drafts.
If you haven’t read her novel, Bird by Bird, you’re in for a
treat (especially if you’re a writer). It’s titled based on a memory she has of
her brother who waited until the last second to write an essay about birds when
he was a child. Her father, an author, told him to take it bird by bird. This
philosophy has helped me in writing every single sentence in my books. Some
days I take it sentence by sentence. Others, page by page. Writing 300 pages
seems so daunting, but if you take it “bird by bird” ….well, you end up with a
book.
What helps you get
through the process of writing?
