Working around the block

I’m suffering writer’s block. It doesn’t happen often. Usually, I sit down at the computer and turn on the autopilot. But not today. Today, I have managed not to write several things: a press release, a house story, an email to a friend. Instead, I have managed to create that thing most beloved of all writers - a blank page.

This is actually an improvement on Friday, when I managed not to write three press releases, a house story, an email to a friend, a pitch to an editor and an outline for a feature story.

Big day, Friday.

The only reason today’s list is shorter is that I rewrote my To Do list and put all the other stuff on Monday’s list. When I will hopefully sit down at my computer and turn on the autopilot.

Big day, tomorrow.

It’s not that I’m not trying. Just that the words aren’t coming out right. It’s all fits and starts before they sputter to a halt (picture me banging head on keyboard at this point).

The good news is that I know why I’m struggling. Last week was a big week of endings. I finished off a whole heap of stuff that’s been weighing me down for ages. A rewrite, a new proposal, three finance features…stuff that had been keeping me busy mentally. When it all finished at once, my brain decided to drop down a gear or two. And, unfortunately, went directly into a stall. Possibly even reverse.

I’m not sure how it works for you, but I’m best when I’m busy. When things are humming along, throwing another task, job or 100,000 words into the mix causes barely a blip. Take things down a notch or two, however, and that extra task becomes a big problem.

So I’m waiting it out. Already I’ll be waking up tomorrow morning with a HUGE list of things to do. Hopefully, there’ll be an email or two, adding to my stress levels. At which point, the adrenaline should kick in, the brain should crank up and, voila, all systems will be go.

Either that, or I’ll be so overwhelmed as to be paralysed by the enormity of it all and take to my bed with a book. I’d call that a win-win situation, wouldn’t you?

{image: Anton Gvozdikov}