So, I’m Writing About Not Writing
Recently I posted on Facebook that I’d been finding it difficult /
impossible to do much writing for the past few months. I was very pleased and
encouraged by the number of my friends who posted kind and helpful comments. I
got all sorts of advice, ranging from, ‘Write on, regardless of how you feel!’
to, ‘Take a complete break until you feel like writing again.’ Many of my writer friends said that they had
had similar experiences.
My very good friend Soooz Burke suggested that I might like to write
a guest post for her on the subject. Okay, write about not being able to write?
How weird is that? But here I am doing it, because when I stopped to think
there is quite a lot to say on this subject.
What is this strange malaise which seems to overtake all writers
from time to time? It’s been christened ‘Writers’ Block,’ and the very fact
that it has a name shows how prevalent it must be. It isn’t something that has
ever happened to me before. I’ve always enjoyed writing and have never had any
problem in finding something to write about – the ideas usually flow.
True, I’ve probably been over working for the past three years since
my book Belfast Girls was first accepted and published. I’ve written three more
books and edited two others for publication, and I’ve written numerous
interviews, guest posts, etc, as well as running my own blog and keeping up a
regular presence on Facebook and Twitter. So, I thought at first, maybe all
that’s wrong with me is that I’ve overdone it and need a break for a while, as
some of my friends suggested.
On the other hand, even if I dropped the various publicity work and
reverted to simply writing one thousand words a day, as I used to do before I
was published, (in line with the suggestions of other friends) I somehow knew
that I would have nothing to say.
For some time now, since Angel in Belfast, my second Angel Murphy
book, was published last summer, I’ve had several projects on the go. Firstly,
I’d begun trying to turn Belfast Girls into a play, knowing that a local
theatre was very interested in this. Secondly, I had begun extending a long
short story, with the intention of reaching novel length, and had got as far as
33,000 words. Then, I wanted to put out more Angel books as soon as possible,
and had ideas for at least two more.
Now, I’ve never been a multi tasker. I work best when I’m
concentrating on one thing at a time. So perhaps I needed to pick one of these
tasks, and one only, work on it until it was finished, and then go on to the
next?
But I knew that I had no interest in any of them right now.
Perhaps I would never be able to write again?
Then a light shone, and I realised what the problem was. I’d always
found it easy to write because I enjoyed writing. Since becoming a published
author, I’d turned it into a job, something I had to do. The fun had gone out
of it.
I decided not to work at any of my tasks – and how revealing that
word ‘task’ was, as a title for the things I was supposed to be writing!
Instead, I would write something purely at random, maybe just a
short story, something which had no particular purpose and which I could simply
enjoy. I remembered the days when I found my writing as enjoyable as my
reading, and when, as I created a story, I wanted to go on and see what
happened next just as if it was someone else’s book which I was reading for
pleasure.
About five days ago, I sat down at the computer, and began writing.
I had no idea what I was going to write about. I began with a picture, a
situation. Then I added a few events. I explored the character of my heroine –
for I found I was writing about a girl, as I probably do the majority of the
time. I added small amounts to the story most days. It was clearly not going to
be just a short story. By the time I began Chapter Two that was very obvious.
It was developing into a historical romance, a mixture of Georgette Heyer,
Vanity Fair and Jane Eyre. And do you know what? I found I was really loving it!
Who knows if it will ever be finished? The last thing I intend to do
is push myself, put myself under pressure to go on. But somehow I’ve a feeling
that I’ll take it to the end.
Is this the secret of getting over writers’ block, I wonder? Making
writing a pleasure again, with no pressure of any sort?
Maybe not for everyone.
All I can say is, it was for me!
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The link below will take you to all of Gerry's books ...
http://www.amazon.com.au/s?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Gerry%20McCullough&search-alias=digital-text
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The link below will take you to all of Gerry's books ...
Thanks for inviting me to share this, Soooz. It actually helped me to clear my head. I hope it'll help some other writers!
ReplyDeleteGerry, I've tried all sorts of things to recharge my batteries: long walks, a day of reading, shopping (lol, don't tell my husband!), etc. When I was writing under a contract deadline, I was a strong advocate of "put your butt in the chair and the words will come"...hey, it's what worked for me. As an indie author, my deadlines are self-made and all of us know how easy those are to break. I have found that if I sit and think about my characters, they are soon urging me to write their story.
ReplyDeleteGood advice, Donna. I've always been a 'don't miss the deadline' sort of person. Just lately, since, as you say, my deadlines are self-imposed, I've found I just don't want to. But when I think of it, most of the deadlines I've kept in the past were self-imposed. The fact that I'm enjoying writing this new book makes me hope that at some point I'll want to go back to my other projects and will enjoy finishing them as well.
DeleteA very interesting article Gerry, and I certainly see where you are coming from. You have to enjoy your writing. If you don't then what's the point. If you don't enjoy it why should anyone else. I haven't (yet) suffered with writers block. I tend to have three or four WIP's at any one time, and can hop between them. But when my brother died in a traffic accident in November I lost not only the desire to write, but the will, and the ability. Time heals, so they say. Well it certainly doesn't ever erase the sadness, but at least I am slowly easing back into writing. It isn't quite the same as it was before November, but maybe that will come. My very best wishes to you Gerry, and to you Soooz, may we all enjoy better times to come.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, John. I'm so glad you're getting back into writing – I'm sure the enjoyment will come as well. Like you, I'd never had any problem finding lots to write about until now. Strange how these things happen. In your case, of course, there was a real and terrible reason. I'm very blessed that there's no reason like that for my problem. No, you'll never lose the sadness, but there will be some healing, I know. God Bless, dear.
DeleteI can sympathize, Gerry. I'm not experiencing writer's block, but kind of a lack of passion that I fear is showing up in my work. I've decided to switch to a new project that is totally different from what I've been working on for the past decade and I think it's going to recharge my batteries. Sounds like your historical is coming along nicely!
ReplyDeleteInteresting, Christy – it seems you're finding an answer the same way I am. Hope it works well for you! Lack of passion is something to be dreaded in writing. Similar, I suppose, to the lack of enjoyment I was talking about. Not caring any more – finding everything forced and mechanical – does that describe what you mean? If so, very like my experience.
DeleteGerry, I can all too well identify with what you've been going through. These last four years I've worked far harder and more hours than any other time in my life. I hope the big prize will be there for you in the not too distant future. I'm pullin' for you.
ReplyDeleteYes, Tom, things have changed for writers now. Self-publishing (or having a small publisher who works through the internet) is great, but it has its down side. Writers are expected to produce far more books more quickly and to do a ton of work making them visible. They say this applies to those with a contract with the big publishers, too. They no longer do much in the way of publicity – it's up to the writer, no matter who publishes them. Gone are the days of the writer in his ivory tower, doing nothing but write! It must have been nice. But on the other hand, I love the interaction with fellow writers on the Internet. I've 'met' no many great people, and had so much encouragement and been given so many useful ideas. I'd hate to have been without this.
DeleteGerry, I sooo relate to this. I haven't been able to write a word of fiction for months. For me it's also related to my mom's death over the holidays, but there's also the "job" aspect. And the publicity part is already a full time job! I miss being an unpublished hobbyist! Glad you're starting to get your mojo back. Maybe it will happen for me too! Thanks, Sooz, for hosting Gerry. Great piece.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how it suddenly happens, Anne? Like John Holt (see his comment above) a personal loss was at the back of your 'block.' I'm just so thankful that in my own case that hasn't been so. I'm more like Tom, I think it's mainly been overwork – but also, as you say, the whole writing thing turning into a job instead of a hobby. I remember how angry I was with someone who had better be nameless for remarking that writing was a nice hobby for me – that at a time when Belfast Girls was already published, and doing quite well, even if I say so myself. But now I'm only managing to write by more or less turning it back into a hobby again. I read a blog recently about someone who has published, I think (speaking from the top of my head without checking) around 30 books in the last two years. He works non-stop all day apparently. In a way I'd like to do that, but then again, I'd probably hate it after the first few weeks!
DeleteInteresting article, Gerry. I tend to have a few projects on the go at the same time so I can switch from one to the other if need be. If that fails I can easily be distracted by an image or a line from a song and I'll pen a few hundred words and either run with that as a new MS, or file it away for another time.
ReplyDeleteWish I could work like that, Babs. For me, it's all or nothing – concentration on one thing only, or else, if I'm trying to hop about, nothing gets done. My husband is like you, he usually has half a dozen different things he's working on and he jumps from one to the other.
Delete