{"id":9003,"date":"2018-05-07T14:45:52","date_gmt":"2018-05-07T18:45:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scifisaturdaynight.com\/?p=9003"},"modified":"2018-05-07T14:45:52","modified_gmt":"2018-05-07T18:45:52","slug":"the-writers-block-presents-writers-block","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/scifisaturdaynight.com\/?p=9003","title":{"rendered":"The Writer’s Block Presents: Writer’s Block"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many, many writers have had those moments where they\u2019re staring at a blank page and thinking, I can\u2019t think of a single thing to write. I may never have another creative idea again in my lifetime.<\/em> Maybe it\u2019s followed by, Boy, I sure could go for a chocolate chip muffin<\/em> (as I am thinking as I type this). I can\u2019t tell you these moments are easily fixed. I can<\/em> tell you you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n

When faced with such a crisis, the best advice I\u2019ve ever received is to do something else. Anything <\/em>else. Push your chair away from that screen and find a different activity, preferably something creative or physical, to give your mind a break. If you like to paint, paint. If you\u2019ve been meaning to plant a small vegetable garden, now\u2019s the time. Is your wrist sore because you don\u2019t have the proper carpal support for your computer mouse? Break out that sewing kit and get to stitching a small wrist pillow. Bake a dozen chocolate chip muffins from scratch, then send me some. Do anything\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0other than write.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll likely find your mind will wander during these activities. For example, I hate sewing, but my wrist was shooting stabby \u201cI need some support here\u201d pains up my arm, which really just added insult to the injury of feeling like I\u2019d never have a creative idea again as long as I lived. I cut up an old pillowcase and filled it with dry rice. I sewed it by hand, on purpose, just so it would take longer, and give my mind time to wander. Right around the time I was stuffing the rice in, grain by grain, my husband asked what I\u2019d be making for dinner. Within\u00a0five minutes, I had the germ of a story idea, about a disgruntled housewife who stabs her husband in the eye with a large sewing needle. She then dismembers the corpse, stuffs the pieces into a roasting pan, and sets the oven to \u201cself-cleaning.\u201d Had I not forced myself to take a break from the computer, this never would\u2019ve happened.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t force the words to come. Take a break. You\u2019ll be pleased to find inspiration can grow from the most ordinary things.<\/p>\n

\"See?

See? A wrist support can also work as creative therapy.<\/p><\/div>\n

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