People with Writer’s Block don’t have Sub-Titles
During the last nine months I have written a book of poetry and a book on crisis communications. I have also written 62 strategic communication editorials. If I finish this, it will be # 63. I have written two short stories, dozens of poems beyond the book, three rap songs, one soft-rock song, and three spoken word pieces.
A week ago, it happened. I keep a list of topic ideas in a note app on my phone. There are several ideas there right now. I have looked at them a few times over the last week and none of them resonate anymore. At least I can’t decide what I want to say about them. And then it dawned on me. I have writer’s block.
At first, I was fascinated. I remember in my earlier days people would talk about a runner’s high. I ran track and cross-country in high school and never felt it. Then one day, I went out for a fifteen-mile run and I reached that glorious climax. There was a period between the twelfth and fourteenth mile where I felt like I was a passenger in my brain, relaxed, without pain, euphoric even. At the moment, the runner’s high was beyond imagination and explanation. Nothing could beat it. But as I cooled down after, and for a long time, I also celebrated the simple fact that I had been given membership into some exclusive club. I did it. I got the runner’s high. I have experienced it just a handful of times in my life, and I cherish each one, as well as my elite membership.
So, when I first realized that I had writer’s block, I was excited before I became frustrated. I felt like I had made it. You can only have writer’s block if you are a writer. And I like calling myself that. It sounds cool. I once joined a public relations firm just because I thought the title of Vice President, Public Relations was just the coolest title I have ever heard. The work didn’t live up to the name, but I still get to claim those two months (yep, that’s all) on my resume.
After a few days, I figured I should google Writer’s Block to find ways to overcome it. That’s how I solve everything. Honestly, I am a google junkie. Not enough to capitalize it like I should, but enough that I barely go a day without it. It is my most common action verb, no longer a proper noun. No offense to Yahoo (still a proper noun, not a verb, to me), but even if I used that, I would still refer to it as googling. You know, Kleenex for tissue, Ketchup for catsup, Coke for all flavors of soft drinks.
The first thing that came up was this from Wikipedia: “Writer’s block is a non-medical condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author is either unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown.”
Please, please tell me that some of you laughed at that explanation like I did. In fact, I laughed twice. First, I am incredibly relieved to discover that it is a non-medical condition. I can cancel my medical appointment now. Please also let me know if my sarcasm here is not clear. And then to find out, in the very same sentence that it is primarily associated with writing. Mind. Blown. More. Sarcasm. I thought for sure it was primarily about boneless chicken wings and the consumer wage index.
The next step was to search for non-medical cures. One of the recommendations was to write. Just write. Words on paper. Don’t slow down to edit or refine. Just keep writing. Stream of consciousness. Um. That is exactly how I wrote the last 62 editorials. It is how I am writing this one right this second. I have no idea when or how this will end. I type at about the same speed that I think. So that works out well for me.
I won’t bore you with all the other ideas. You can google them. Admit it. You are a bit addicted to the action verb too. I decided to dance with who brung me. Boomers, please explain that phrase to the young’uns. While the approach would not be anything new or different, at least I have a new topic.
But then this is where it gets tricky. I don’t have anything profound to say about writer’s block. I don’t want to cut and paste other people’s ideas. So how can anything productive come out of this? Oh crap. My mind is now thinking slower than my typing, q;tqhjssrsfp9 1009957&%%. Phew. I’m back.
Maybe it’s enough to just acknowledge it. If you have been hospitalized and medicated for this disease, know that you are not alone. And maybe it’s a metaphor for other things. My writer’s block may be your not-wanting-to-go-back-to-that-job block. Or what to do for vacation block. I am a huge fan of imperfection. Let’s own it. Enjoy it.
Still, I have an ego and this editorial is just rambling. It’s not my best editorial by a long shot. Though, I truly do think it is in the top 57 of all I have written. In case you never see another written word from me, please know that I am safe. I have a puppy now, so that helps. My puppy! Next topic? Nah. Maybe. I leave you with the photo of tulips above. I haven’t even googled one yet as I am typing this, but I will. That way you will at least get that much from this editorial. A nice picture. And if I can’t find a good picture of a tulip, I will just change it to something else and retype this paragraph. You would never know. Maybe, I already started by promising a bunny and switched it to a tulip and you were none the wiser. I wonder how many people, like me, have a tinge of OCD and kept wondering what tulips had to do with writer’s block before they got to this paragraph. No more and no less than bunnies.
Enough. I will stop now. I can’t think of anything to write anyway.
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Stoneking Strategic Communications (SSC) 