May 2004

Blocks are a natural part of a writer’s existence, but they don’t have to be a problem. You are probably thinking "yeah, right. In whose world are blocks not a problem?" That is part of the block right there. What better way to make it harder for us to get around the problem of not finding the right words than to acknowledge and dwell on the very cause? The trick might be for you to acknowledge the block, but then once it is acknowledged, ignore it and work around the very problem. Dwelling on the negative side of a matter can give it more significance than is needed. How can we get around this problem?

Technique one: See the block as a physical object. Visualize it standing right in front of you. You can then choose to demolish it in any way you would like. How about a hammer, to break the block into smithereens? Or why not a laser, you can carve some pretty designs before the final powerful burst that disintegrates the block. Or why not surround it in a big bubble and see it float off. Or even force it to shrink until it is a tiny speck of sand and then flick it out of your sight?

Technique two: Positive thinking can also be a powerful tool. How often have you been attempting to do something and you stop and say: "I cannot do this. This is beyond me." Then you find that you can’t do it? It is amazing when you think of it, how often a person phrases their thoughts negatively. Even when you think you are phrasing your thoughts in the positive, ‘don’t’ or ‘can’t’ can work against you. Try restructuring your thoughts to state the positive. "I can do this! This is a piece of cake!" Or you may tell yourself something along the lines of: "I am going to write today, the words are unstoppable. The flow is ever increasing." Just by changing how you think to yourself can give great aid in what you are trying to do. Remember, negative begets negative, positive begets positive.

Technique three: Find the root of the block. Maybe your subconscious is telling you something needs to be reworked in your story before you can continue. Or maybe it is telling you that additional research is needed. We tend to think that blocks are there to make our lives harder, but what if we experience blocks because our minds are trying to tell us something? Nothing is ever as it really seems, there is usually more than one possible reason for something to be happening. Look beneath the surface and remember the phrase, "Still waters run deep."

There are many ways to fix this problem, I have covered but three of them, What other ways can you discover that may aid you? Instead of fighting, try working with the obstacle and you may be surprised at what you discover.