Summary: This article discusses the author's perspective on writer's block, emphasizing that writers often block their own writing rather than experiencing a "writer's block," and provides strategies to unblock and access their thoughts and emotions.

Abstract: The writer shares her personal experience of not wanting to write, using various excuses or engaging in other activities like going to the movies instead. She explains that self-care, such as proper nutrition, sleep, and exercise, is important for clear and concise writing. The author underscores the significance of vulnerability and presence while writing and suggests a meditation and breathing exercise to enhance the writing process. According to her, the lack of writing is not an external block but rather internal resistance.

Opinions:

The author believes in the importance of self-care, including proper eating, sleep, and physical activity, for better and more concrete writing.
She emphasizes the need for writers to be vulnerable and present, which requires accessing personal emotions and thoughts.
The author acknowledges the struggle of daily writing and the mental battles involved.
She challenges the concept of "writer's block" as an external block and suggests that it's more about the internal resistance that writers create themselves.
To overcome internal resistance, she suggests engaging in a simple breathing exercise to center oneself and focus on one's intention to write.
According to the author, effective writing requires vulnerability and surrender, which can initially be daunting but results in more powerful and significant writing.
The author believes that mindfulness and meditation can increase the flow of words, reduce the time to express oneself, and ultimately lead to clearer expressions.

The Last Word On Writer’s Block

For me- and hopefully for you too.

I have days when I don’t want to write.

I don’t want to sit in the chair and empty the contents of my brain on the page. Today happens to be one of those days.

I would rather be at the movies seeing the new Tarantino flick, at a coffee shop talking with a friend, or going for a hike with my dog in the San Gabriel Mountains.

While on a conscious level, I know once I sit down and write, I feel better.

Just like deciding to go to the gym for my daily physical exercise, I go through similar mental gymnastics each time with my daily writing practice — the same mental back and forth with myself — every day.

Some days, I struggle with getting words, any words, onto the page.

So it is not the writing that is blocking me. I am blocking the writing.

I’m in my way, making excuses NOT to write.

Struggling to write happens when I’m not “feeling it.” When I’m out of balance in other areas of my life — not eating properly, not getting enough sleep or not getting any physical activity into my day.

My strongest writing is concrete writing, writing that is clear and concise, and I have difficulty accessing this writing when I haven’t been taking care of myself.

As writer’s, we need to dig deep to keep challenging ourselves, and some days this seems more daunting than others.

“Writing is both an act of power and surrender. Passion and discovery. It is a tug of your soul that continues to pull you forward, even as you go kicking and screaming.” — Herring

As writer’s, we often need to access our vulnerability, and we sometimes view this as a risk we are taking, which can prevent us from writing, this fear can block us, and stop us from sitting in the chair to access our feelings and excavating the depths of our souls.

Sometimes it’s just easier to go to the movies.

When you realize you don’t have “writer’s block” and you are instead blocking your writing, you have the power to unblock your writing. Reframing what writer’s block is, gives the writer the ability to change it.

We have the power to unblock our writing, and the quickest way of doing that is to write.

There is no secret, no muse that has gone missing, no magic, no process really, but writing. Feel the uncertainty and discomfort. Stay in the chair.

If you are having trouble getting into the chair, try a breathing exercise first to center your intention on what you want to do.

We sometimes forget that writing requires presence.

If our work is important to us, we need to give it our attention; it deserves it.

All art requires the artist to be present, to have access to what we are trying to get across to our audience through our art.

When I’m practicing my daily meditation, I have direct and immediate access to my words; they flow out of me. When I am present, it takes less time to access what I want to say, and I have more clarity expressing myself because there is less noise in my head getting in the way of my words.

Following is an exercise from the book Writing Begins with Breath by Laraine Herring.

When I’m struggling to get into the chair, where I know I will be required to type what is in my head and get my story on the page; I practice this exercise.

Body Break

“Take a moment to lie down on your back on the floor. If your back is tender, you can bend your knees and keep the soles of your feet on the floor, or you can put a pillow underneath your knees. Allow your arms to rest beside you, palms up. Close your eyes. You may wish to place an eye pillow over your eyes if you have difficulty keeping them closed. Lie here as long as you like. This is a place of deep relaxation and awareness. You are not asleep, but you are still.

Why? This posture helps stimulate the imagination. Also, because you’re on your back, your heart is open, allowing you to experience both vulnerability and surrender. Your body is experiencing a place of safe openness — a place of trust from which you can dare to risk.”

Keep in mind while you are doing this practice that it is the writer blocking the writing. The responsibility to write is the author’s; writer’s block can’t stop you.

Jessica is a writer, an online entrepreneur, and a recovering Type A personality. She lives in Los Angeles with her extrovert daughter, two dogs, and two cats.