Writer's Block & Inspiration

Desiderata.english



Often in the writing profession, the practitioner can hit a blank wall, and however hard he tries, he can’t put meaningful words to paper, or nowadays, onto the computer screen. There's a term, Writer’s Block, which is besieging the writer. There are many factors causing this problem. And the best of wordsmiths can be hit by this unwelcome visitor, as sure as a child will fall sick some times, due to poor weather, wrong food, or even after a scolding by Big Sis or Big Bro, or because Mum forgot to buy him/her a Birthday present. The writer may encounter this block, or obstacle, because he’s just not in the proper frame of mind – he’s feeling unwell, or he’s had a lovers’ quarrel, or just that the environment is not condusive, for the unthinking guests won’t leave him to his quiet time.

Writing comes easy to those with a flair for language and has mastered the craft through constant practice and dedication. But Desiderata, while appreciative of God’s gift to him with a talent for words and wordplay, and perhaps, an imaginative mind – he must confess that on certain days, he too felt thoroughly “paralysed”, and prayed hard and intermittently for his “flashes of inspiration”.

What I dread most is suffering a condition called "burnt-out". Like your car-engine suddenly comes to a stop. Can you imigaine in the middle of a highway? To a writer, that's like just an hour before a deadline for an assignment to be delivered.


I recently discussed this subject with a fellow writer – a published one! Her name is CATHERINE DE COSTA. I thought a tea break planned for an hour would do the trick of overcoming my block – the tea extended for two hours; luckily Cathy and her “significant half” (that’s the term I use to call her husband!) was free, and we tar=la-la-ed til the cows forgot to come home …and it definitely was time and fellowship well spent.

The lesson to share is that making highly conscious efforts to psuh oneself, the ideas or words just won’t come. If the words come, they come in spurts, like water from a choked pipe, not swimmingly, which means flowing smoothly and without effort, and the doer enjoying while doing it! Like they say, work is no more labour when you ENJOY doing it. And when BIG BUCKS also come along with it, of course. Reality bites sometimes.

Writer’s block, take my word for it, can make a victim of the most prolific of writers, for while God gave us each A Beautiful Mind, it is always a mysterious gift. It works in ways that no scientist has properly mapped its pathways, permutations of thought aptterns, or even why we can -- Yes, on an inspired moment for just 10 minutes, produce a masterpiece of prose or poem. Such epic moments are few and rare, but I have, bless me, experienced them. The poem SOOTHIN' HAZELIN' was similarly inspired by YES! THE HAZE, and memory sweet of a girl-once-upon-a-time ...and I'm sure, consumers you all,you're acquainted with the wordplay about Hazeline Snow!

So how does one "prepare" oneself to get into a writing mood. Me, I'll always have background music; and sometimes I throw in a few relevant lines to match the writing at hand, or even a full song lyrics (like in last Monday's Morning Blues wit' Rainy Days and Mondays...) because the number captures the contents so well (chemistry, they call it.)Also, writing best at night -- when even the cricket sings, and the tree leaves whistle down the wind ...;)

As I pen this, and this PM(yes, post-meridien for afternoon, YoungIgnorantCows!)'s -- oh, now just past midnight already...so it's yesterday afternoon's...I'm listening to Andy Williams' soothin', velvety maybe:



MOON RIVER


Moon river, wider than a mile
I'm crossing you in style some day
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way

Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me

DESIDERATA wishing all mGf
GOodNite!
BlessedSunday
Everythin'Beaut&Nice!