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Call it a syndrome or a literary affliction but anybody who’s tried to ‘put ink to paper’ will have experienced it at one time or another. Most times, it’s transient and episodic, but there are instances where people have been overwhelmed with a sense of inertia for months and even years on end.
While it’s difficult to pin down a precise cause, anxiety, stress, fear, feelings of inadequacy are some of the contributory factors.
It is that phase when one is totally bereft of all ideas; you’re confronted with a blank sheet of paper or find yourself staring at the computer screen for prolonged spells with nary a word nor a thought getting past your befuddled mind.
Here are some thoughts that could help you come to grips with this syndrome.
Take it easy
The more you’re going to fret about making an impression (with your writing), the more you’re going to psych yourself up. And as you get all worked up, all sorts of negative thoughts begin to creep in insidiously, eating into you as it were. You begin to undermine yourself and become even more vulnerable. Don’t get into this trap.
Don’t be harsh on yourself
Don’t be overly critical of your work; indulge in sloppy writing. The trick is to get you to unclog your thoughts and get them on paper. The structure, flow, tweaking and tightening can come later on.
Change focus
Oftentimes one gets fixated with a set idea and it gets well-nigh impossible to make any progress. At such times it makes sense to change focus and try a different tack, a new angle. And you just might be able to weave your ‘favourite’ idea that was constricting you a little while earlier into your prose without it being a force-fit.
Get your mind off
There are times when your muse has deserted you and try as hard as you will, the inspiration is just not forthcoming. At times like this, it’s a good idea to switch over to some other task or chore that’s not very demanding and doesn’t unduly tax the mind. A change of scene often gets the creative juices flowing. It could be as simple getting away from your desk and going for a stroll.
Just do it
If you must ask, there’s one panacea, a sure-shot fix that cures the most stubborn and persistent of writer’s blocks. Just shut out all those extraneous distractions and will yourself to write – make a conscious, concerted effort. Stop dithering and get down to it.
And that’s exactly what I did. Now that I’m done with it, I’m wondering what the fuss was all about. It turned out easier than I’d imagined.
But it’s another matter altogether whether it’ll pass the muster!
Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.
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—About our writer:
Shreedhar began his career in HR and moved on to marketing and communications. He admits he's an anachronism and prefers the gentler, easy-paced life of the '70s and '80s. Leisure pursuits include reading and traveling. He says, "Nothing compares to traveling second class, Indian Railways (with reservations, of course!) – one gets to see a microcosm of this wondrous country of ours."
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