[From the Archive] The Aliens Ate My Homework
This was from a while back… Enjoy the distraction. It’s the Holidays after all, and we all need a bit of distraction.
You can thank Facebook for this week’s article. My friends there are responsible for this idea – mostly because I had none of my own. It’s been one of those weeks. The Plot Critters frolic in other pastures. My pets continue to demand attention when I need to concentrate — and ignore me when I want a distraction. Houseguests change the routine.
I don’t know about other writers, but this writer needs some structure. So now, it’s time to post this week’s article, and I got nuthin’. In a fit of desperation, I posted my lack of inspiration on Facebook, and the suggestion came back, “Write about Writer’s Block”.
Writer’s Block is real. It does exist. It is not insurmountable. This article is some proof of that. Writer’s Block can happen to anyone at any time for any reason. The main reason, I’ve found, for this phenomenon, is simply discombobulation. That’s a technical term, you know.
The trick comes when it’s time to break the blocks and move forward. Deadlines are a fine way to avoid or destroy the block. The simple idea that something has to be done by a certain time is a major motivating factor. This article needed to be done today because the rest of the week is booked.
However, if you’re not lucky enough to have deadlines, there are ways to bust through the blocks and make progress with your writing:
• Take a break – from whatever project you’re working on that’s giving you trouble. Find an old project that needs editing or finishing – if you’re like me there’s a whole file of half-finished projects on your computer. By returning to that project you gain editing experience, and you can jumpstart your creativity. Kinda like a defibulator…
• Write crap – if you can’t or don’t want to abandon your current project. Go beyond permission to write crap to actually doing it. Send in the ninjas. Kill off everyone in the place, and start fresh with the next section. These are the parts that will be smoothed out in the editing process. Clearing the decks can help you get past whatever’s stalled you to begin with.
• Exercise – seriously. Sometimes the best thing for creativity is to turn off your brain. Do something physical. Get the blood and oxygen flowing to your brain. And if you tire yourself out physically, there’s some appeal to sitting quietly at your desk doing nothing but thinking. 😎
• Talk to other writers/creatives – if you’re lucky, your block will come around convention time. There’s nothing like sitting around a bar or restaurant being silly to draw out the plot bunnies. Writer’s workshop/critique groups can be useful for the same thing. If you’re not around either, then get on line. Bounce ideas off other writers through social networks or email. Like this article came out of a comment on Facebook.
Writer’s Block happens to the best of us. The point is to either move past or break through. Wallowing doesn’t help anyone accomplish anything. Whatever has you discombobulated (there’s that technical term again) will pass. The Plot Critters do, indeed, come back – usually at the most inconvenient times, and with friends. Save them for the rainy, gloomy, block-ridden days. You won’t be sorry, and you might be able to help a friend and/or colleague out of their blocks, too.