Seven Thoughts That Keep Writers From Writing

It's all too easy to fall victim to such things as doubt. Even experienced writers go through this, because no amount of experience can erase the fact that we're all human. And this is most important for the beginning writer, a hurdle one must overcome in order to do what they want - or need - to do.

“I don't have what it takes”

We all, including non-writers, have said this at some point in our lives, I think. Some would advise you not to listen to this particular inner voice, but not listening almost always defeats the purpose in some way.

The voice of doubt can be despairing, and it can be powerful, but it doesn't exist without a reason. It's in this murky world between doubt and faith that demons lurk. But you must listen to those demons in order to see what they're telling you. Otherwise, you won't be able to see this hidden world clearly, and a clear sight is necessary in finding the path through the bog.

Those demons are pointing out your weaknesses, for one thing. They do not make you give up; only you can choose whether to give up or to keep going. The demons of doubt present a test. Only by listening to them and learning to see beyond them can you pass into the land of faith.

The more you write, the more confidence you'll gain. The demons will always be there, but think of them as your dark partners; use what they tell you to learn what you need to do to improve. Turn their shadowy voices into a spurring motion, instead of a ceasing action.

And when you acknowledge the demon voices, you are one step closer to finding the path through the swamp. Because you're being honest with yourself about your feelings. A writer who's blind to his or her own emotions isn't a writer.

A writer should be fearless. No demon, however strong, has power over creativity. Remember that.

“I don't have any ideas. Writer's block”

While this isn't my definition of writer's block (for me, it's a mental block that locks up your ability to write, even if you do have ideas; it's like a hard disk that needs serious defragging), I have heard this described as a form of writer's block.

Inspiration is a tricky, slippery thing, like a wet eel. It's hard to grab a hold of, and when you do, it turns and twists and it's a miracle if you can hold onto it. So you find other ways to grab it and hold onto it.

You can't wait for inspiration, either. I compare that to going out on a boat and waiting for a Great White shark. Even if you bait and chum the water, Great Whites make you wait forever. Of course, other sharks - Blues or Tigers, for example - may appear (depending on where you are and in what season), so you could choose from one of them. In writing terms, it would mean choosing from smaller ideas you didn't expect while the Big One remains elusive.

Yet, for all the hard work and preparation, you may get no sharks at all.

(And ideas are very much like sharks: they can be beautiful and graceful, even friendly, but they can also eat you alive if you're not careful. A bad idea, or the wrong idea, can be disastrous.)

Ideas can come from anywhere, though. The Internet; a book; a film or television program; someone you meet; an old friend or family members; the tree in your back yard that somehow stands apart from the rest and is unique in some way. I've had things fall and hit me on the head like a crashing tower, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out where they came from.

As I said, though, you can't wait for inspiration if you're to be a writer. A writer writes, of course, and you need something to write about. In the above paragraph, I alluded to several ways that you can actively seek out ideas.

Music can help, too. Does the sound of the singer's voice remind you of something? Perhaps it reminds you of shattering glass because it's so high-pitched. Figure out why the glass is shattering, and then write it. What about the music behind the voice? Yes, the mystic, hypnotic synthesizer sounds call forth an ancient land lost in time. And it's lost in time because it exists, at least as far as how you see it, only in your mind. That's the beauty of creativity. So sit down and write about that land lost in time; maybe the queen went mad and broke every mirror in the palace and that's why the glass is shattering. Yet, perhaps the shattering glass symbolizes something else, perhaps war or a failing nation.