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Creatively stumped. Ideas halted. Word flow obstructed. Distracted thoughts. There are many ways to describe writer’s block. It can be a lonely feeling of failure and frustration. It’s important to remember that writers are not alone. Every writer goes through this perplexed state of uncertainty at some point. I was thinking about how it is called writer’s block and I started to imagine an actual street where writers could come together as a supportive community, encouraging each other to keep going. So, here is my completely fictional tale of my completely fictional visit to Writer’s Block.
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by Nancy
Blink. Blink. Blink. I sat at my computer staring at the cursor blinking over and over again on a completely blank page. My eyes blurred. I tried to avert my gaze and focus on something else in the room. I looked over at my bookshelf and that only made it worse. I had to get out and knew exactly where to go. Writer’s Block. As I turned onto the all too familiar street, I saw other writers who were trying to overcome the same issue that was plaguing me. Author A looked up from the latest issue of Us Weekly and nodded hello. Author B resisted pulling away from iPhone distractions but eventually met my gaze and smiled. I immediately felt better. I drove slowly to take it all in. Author C was furiously eating Corn Pops straight from the box while Author D fumbled with a Rubik's Cube. Authors E and F were engaged in a very competitive game of Scrabble. I stared with concern at Author G who kept yelling, "Norm!" over and over again. I was relieved when I caught a glimpse of a rerun of Cheers being broadcast on a laptop. Further down the road, Author H was doing yoga on the sidewalk while Author I paced back and forth nearby, holding a cup of coffee in each hand. Author J was the resident bartender, mixing drinks for the weary. I saw some authors battling it out in a dance-off, doing moves that I was sure the 70s wanted back. I pulled over, got out of my car, and set up shop on the hood so I could join the block in my own way. "Who wants fresh donuts?" I yelled. "Get ‘em while they’re hot!" I instantly made new friends. Jenny from the Block blared from the stereo at the dance-off. "No matter where I go, I know where I came from…" I vowed to never forget cruisin’ down Writer’s Block because the memory would make the bursts of writing that came with ease even sweeter. I realized that struggles would only make me and every other writer better at the craft. I took a bite of my chocolate cruller and smiled. Don’t be fooled by the chapters that I got, I’m still, I’m still, a writer from the block.
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What is writer's block like for you?