by Lisa Beach

Created on: October 25, 2009

What causes Writer's Block?

Everyone wants to be a writer these days, and for those who do, there is a bane called Writer's Block. It occurs for many reasons: in a new writer, there is expectation that it will inevitably happen; for a moderately prolific writer, it hits out of nowhere and for the pro, it's like having one's foot stepped on. The pain is frustrating, but can be dealt with.

Fear:

All that aside, there are numerous reasons writer's block occurs - the largest being fear. Fear of not being good enough; that people will laugh/criticize; that what one writes doesn't really say what one wants, or gets the point across. Fear that someone might steal one's work, that work will be rejected - the list of fear-ridden anxieties can be vast.

Lack of focus:

Another, less thought of reason for that block is a lack of focus - it's more than being disciplined, having a work space, etc. - it encompasses a writer's inability, or unwillingness to keep his/her mind on the story at hand.

Often, writers think that if they have more than one project going at a time, they can switch back and forth whenever they get bored, and beat the block that way. Like a drain swirling water, focus merely drifts faster and faster toward that block, tightening the threat; making it loom larger, gathering speed till it hits a writer full force. Having multiple projects on hand is not recommended for new writers. Concentrating on what's at hand is best.

Excuses:

Another good friend of Writer's Block is Excuses. There are more excuses than I can think of, but off hand there's making coffee, opening the mail, washing dishes and other dirty jobs, walking the dog, writing e-mail -

Again, the list can be endless. The longer one is away from his/her computer, the guiltier s/he feels, the bigger the block becomes, and the easier it is to avoid. Days go by, and it's no big deal. They turn into months, and the writer panics. In the blink of an eye years have flown by, and it's official: the writer is dried up. A Nobody. A Has-been. What's left is a "writer" who merely has a good story about how s/he got tackled by writer's block, leaving out the part that s/he never recovered. Denial can be as comfortable as a warm blanket. One can roll up loss and regret in it, and stow it under the bed, out of site.

Wanting perfection:

This is a biggie for new writers, but there is no such thing as perfection. Wanting it is fine, striving to achieve it makes one's work better - but there IS no such thing. So

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