Monkey-brained Musings
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Writer's Block
One of the interesting things about writer's block is how it propagates through your life. A block in one area or on one project infects other areas and other projects so that the lack of progress and progression permeates all areas of your life. A creative writing block moves out to block progress at work and in other areas until the cumulative frustration is such that nothing is getting done and the dam just bursts. Some projects get done, some projects get downsized, and some just get swept away.
The good news in all of this is that I am getting better at managing these swings. Years ago, the blocks had to get much worse before I could ever get anything done, and it was more common that projects would be swept away, deadlines hopelessly blown, before I began moving forward again. Today, the amplitude of these swings is much less. The other important part of this is in choosing what is important for me. Windows of opportunity open and close all of the time. Choosing when to say no, even to the attractive opportunities, is key.
With that in mind, I have chosen to pass onNaNoWriMo this year. The possibility and promise is attractive, but I have several projects that I want to finish, and participating in NaNoWriMo would take away from them as well as distract me from developing a new screenplay.
One of the interesting things about writer's block is how it propagates through your life. A block in one area or on one project infects other areas and other projects so that the lack of progress and progression permeates all areas of your life. A creative writing block moves out to block progress at work and in other areas until the cumulative frustration is such that nothing is getting done and the dam just bursts. Some projects get done, some projects get downsized, and some just get swept away.
The good news in all of this is that I am getting better at managing these swings. Years ago, the blocks had to get much worse before I could ever get anything done, and it was more common that projects would be swept away, deadlines hopelessly blown, before I began moving forward again. Today, the amplitude of these swings is much less. The other important part of this is in choosing what is important for me. Windows of opportunity open and close all of the time. Choosing when to say no, even to the attractive opportunities, is key.
With that in mind, I have chosen to pass onNaNoWriMo this year. The possibility and promise is attractive, but I have several projects that I want to finish, and participating in NaNoWriMo would take away from them as well as distract me from developing a new screenplay.
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