noun
1. the problem of not being able to
think of something to write about or not being able to finish writing a story,
poem, etc.
2. a psychological inhibition
preventing a writer from proceeding with a piece
3.
a usually temporary psychological inability to begin or continue work on a
piece of writing
4.
an inability to remember or think of something you normally can do; often
caused by emotional tension
5.
the condition of being unable to create a piece of written work because
something on your mind prevents you from doing it
Origin:
1945-50
If I were
to write a story based on a moment in time in my life, specifically these past
two week, it would be titled WRITER’S BLOCK.
I haven’t
been able to write a single thing… Well, anything but cover letters for
employment opportunities and query letters to literary agents. My brain has
been feeling like a dessert, not even a single camel in sight. At least with a
camel in my periphery I would feel like there’s a bit of water near, even if
it’s hiding in it’s hump.
That sounded good in my head… Wrong on
paper.
Anyway, I
couldn’t think of anything to write so I titled this blog post “Writer’s Block”
and proceeded to define the term with various definitions located all over the
internet.
While
writing out these definitions, I couldn’t help but to feel like I was living these
definitions, until I arrived at the last one.
“The condition of
being unable to create a piece of written work because something on your mind
prevents you from doing it.”
The
reality is I don’t have “writer’s block”. I’m not in a state of living in a dry
well with no ink to fill the pages. My struggle is that I have too much ink,
too many thoughts, and they keep exploding everywhere! I keep staring at blank
pieces of paper and white screens, trying to write the scenes in my head, but
my fingers can’t move fast enough. I’ve discovered it’s just not humanly
possible. Frustration at its finest.
I also
have to live simultaneously in reality and the fictional world in my head…
Fellow writers, I know you understand. The struggle to not lose myself in my
own creative process is usually saved by someone in the “real world” pulling me
back to safety. This method of saving me doesn’t last too long if my novel is
in a crucial place of development.
I have
found that my writing is affected by many variables, which isn’t surprising, I
know.
My location and setting while I’m writing.
I have
never been able to find that one perfect writing spot. Technically, I can write
just about anywhere, depending on the situation. It depends on what I’m writing
– whether it be a novel, article, or blog post – and the specific scenes I’m
working on.
My emotions during specific scenes.
I become
very attached to my characters and believe that my own emotions should not
intervene with their emotions and lives. If I feel that this will be the case,
it causes me to hold off until I’m in the right mood to write.
The weather.
I always
try to choose, but I don’t believe I have a favorite season. It’s the San Diego
vibe and lifestyle. Living in San Diego means I have the beauty of experiencing
all four seasons in one day. I’m not joking. Of course San Diego, more so than
any other Southern California city, is known for it’s beautiful sunny 70’s
weather year-round. Living near the beaches and mountains is never tiring.
I have learned that the best writing weather for me is during the extremes, because I don’t have the excuse nor distraction of wanting to be outside, enjoying the weather. While writing, I need some sort of drink – coffee, tea, smoothie – and a window to watch the outside world. Extreme heat or the rare, incredibly beautiful rain (like today) keep me cozy in coffee shops, writing with great focus.
My relationship with other human beings.
This ties
in to my need for alone time and a pleasant mood to keep me writing. I love
being as social as any other bookworm, nerd, glasses wearing, cozy sweats and
sweater girl… you get the picture.
[Yes, this type of person existed before hipsters created their own “trend”. For all my self-titled “hipster” friends, back in my day, we were just called nerds, geeks, dorks, or people with bizarre, yet weirdly exotic and interesting fashion sense.]
[Yes, this type of person existed before hipsters created their own “trend”. For all my self-titled “hipster” friends, back in my day, we were just called nerds, geeks, dorks, or people with bizarre, yet weirdly exotic and interesting fashion sense.]
Being
private suits me. This is why my blog has allowed me to be a little less
private… A little. I’m still working on the possibility of opening up the
comments section. I love making new friends, but as I have said before, I am
also very cautious of this. Trust is something difficult to gain.
[I don’t
accept Facebook friends unless we’ve had some sort of friendship offline and in
person. This decision came from previous crazy experiences.] Truth be told, I
prefer face to face relationships, or at least being able to hear your voice
over the phone. I have found that this is partly because I am a very sarcastic
person and text doesn’t always relay that part of me, which causes
miscommunication issues.
You would
think that being unable to write has given me more time to read. Nope. I have a
growing stack of books, creeping up my wall, just waiting to be devoured. I
haven’t been reading much. Every time I sit down to read, I feel guilty about
not writing. When I can’t write, I feel guilty about not spending my time in a
more productive manner. I turn back to seeking employment opportunities and
finding the perfect agent who will love my work almost in the same way that I
do.
I love
that I have an endless list of priorities; I would rather be busy than bored
and staring at my ceiling with nothing to do. I am the master of multitasking.
I’m usually working on all my responsibilities at once, which in turn causes me
to neglect my writing at times. During this time where my writing suffers, I
miss my characters and their world. My non-writer friends always think I’m
crazy when I try to explain to them that I live amongst my fictional
characters. I talk about them like we’re friends. They’re real! They live
vividly within my head. Their stories continue to be lived even when I’m not
writing it down.
I have
written before that the development of my stories come to me during the most
inconvenient of times: driving, sleeping, in the shower. While I am thankful I
have my phone on me to either write down quick notes or record my thoughts, I
always lose all my thoughts in the shower. I stumbled upon something today.
Fellow writers, are you ready for this?
I don’t
celebrate any of the holidays during this time of the year, but I wouldn’t mind
surprise presents from friends or family… AquaNotes!!!
There’s
only one real problem with this. If my writing flow gets rolling, I would never
leave the shower. Well, I would be in there for hours…
Really,
my writer’s block can be defined as having way too many thoughts for my own
good.
Take this
moment; I knew I had a lot more to write, but my mind keeps wandering off.
***
Next week
I’ll be spending a lot of time with family and I don’t believe I will be able
to put up a new blog post. I pray you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving break
with family and friends. Although the reason for partaking in this holiday
isn’t built on the correct side of history (I won’t go into any of that for
your sake; do pick up an American history book not located in grades K-12), I
do hope it serves as a wonderful breather with your loved ones.
I want to
leave you with this video that made my entire day. This is the beauty of
humanity that has become lost in the barriers that our personal biases –
influenced partly by society, politics, media, you name it – has built,
preventing us from seeing the beauty in our brothers and sisters in humanity. I
love this!!!
“When they first get in, they’re
not sure what to think. But there’s just something about a ball pit that breaks
down barriers and encourages new friends. This is awesome.”
Take a Seat - Make a Friend?
***
Here are a few
pictures I took at sunset when the rain turned into a light drizzle. The first picture
was from my seat inside the coffee shop. The rest are from my walk outside during
the short break I took. SubhanaAllah, the sky has been breathtakingly beautiful
this time of year.
Salaam,
Hanoon
Hanoon
