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Shut Up And Write

May 8th, 2007 · 81 Comments

hopeI have writer’s block today.

Took a few minutes to get away from the computer; to smell the flowers in my garden, listen to the birds, watch my dog lolloping around. Then a rogue bee came and chased me back inside the house. The stark whiteness of the computer screen is biting at me now.

The writer’s block won’t go away, dammit.

I’ve been writing since I was 7, and I know the feeling well. You want to write something, anything, and yet your fingers freeze. The paper crinkles in your hands; its blankness a testament to your failure. I check back the archives in this blog: I’ve written about how computers don’t help me in being productive, I’ve also written on what I do to overcome writer’s block.

None of it is working now. The paper is laughing at me on my desk.

Top 5 Things To Do When Your Paper Begins To Laugh At You

1. Make a cup of coffee. I find this helps in the most dire of situations - the caffeine will then either: A) inspire you ; B) make the paper laugh louder. In case of B), prepare a bottle of vodka. If vodka doesn’t inspire you I don’t know what will.

2. Read a good book. One that explores themes relating to suffering, obstacles, sex and murder. Note: all these elements can be found in the Bible. I’ve always found it fascinating how Solomon could describe women:

Oh, you are beautiful, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are like doves. Your hair is like a flock of female goats descending from Mount Gilead.
(Song of Songs 4:1)

Don’t ask.

3. Take a nap. And maybe when you wake up the page will be filled with words. You can hope. Pray. Fervently. Or at least dream about ideas descending Mount Gilead like a flock of female goats …

4. Play Desktop Tower Defense. I mean, seriously. This little game is addictive. And making sure the monsters don’t get through is sure a lot better than stressing over some lousy deadline you’re supposed to be working towards, right? Right?

5. The truth. Somedays you just can’t overcome your Writer’s Block, no matter what creative things you do. And when you get one of those days the best solution would be to force yourself to write - be it for a research paper or a blog or a newspaper article - just close everything down, bite your lip and tackle that topic head on!

There. I’ve completed this blog post as part of Darren Rowse’s group writing project. And my paper is still empty; it is still in front of me. “What are you going to do with me now?” it taunts.

I take up my pencil.

“I’m going to write.”

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    • Tags: Personal Notes · Writing

    81 responses so far ↓

    • 1 Nick // May 8, 2007 at 11:27 pm

      Great post! Funny and too true. I also appreciated your Ultimate Blook Guide and plan on mentioning on Literary Compass soon.

    • 2 Eli James // May 9, 2007 at 12:56 am

      Hello Nick! I agree with you - group writing projects rock for meeting up with other bloggers.

      In fact I’m prodding Darren’s day 1 list for another good litblog right now. ;P

    • 3 Roberta // May 9, 2007 at 1:22 am

      Thanks for the comment! Great post here. When I have writers block, I just sit down at the computer and type whatever comes to mind. Sometimes, it’s “I have writer’s block and can’t think of anything to write about, I have writer’s block and can’t think of anything to write about.” But something usually hits me.

    • 4 Eli James // May 9, 2007 at 2:10 am

      Thank you, Roberta. Yes, something usually hits me as well, but only after a few … hours.

    • 5 Top 5 - Group Writing Project Day 2 // May 9, 2007 at 6:05 pm

      […] Shut Up And Write by Eli James […]

    • 6 Suz // May 9, 2007 at 6:48 pm

      Good post, I’ve found that after following advice #1 to it’s full extent it’s often best to follow with advice #3 soon after.

    • 7 Top 5 Favourite Posts « A Mind of My Own // May 9, 2007 at 7:04 pm

      […] Shut Up And Write by Eli James […]

    • 8 Eli James // May 9, 2007 at 7:25 pm

      Suz,

      But the caffiene! How can you possibly sleep while you’re high on it?

      Maybe vodka, then. =)

    • 9 Tantowi // May 9, 2007 at 7:43 pm

      I have the same situatioan. Agree with the caffein (capucino).Just write anything, word by word.

    • 10 Eli James // May 9, 2007 at 7:55 pm

      Ahh. If that was me I’d tear the page out, because the ‘anything’ I write is usually too horrible for my eyes.

      I pray nightly for bursts of inspiration.

    • 11 Amy Palko // May 9, 2007 at 8:00 pm

      There’s really nothing worse than that blinking cursor in an expanse of white screen, is there? I agree with you that forcing yourself to tackle it head on is usually the way to go. Generally I get about 2 or 3 pages of rubbish, which I’ll rewrite at a later date, but after that the writing does become more lucid. I am currently in the 3rd year of my phd, and during that time I have had some truly horrible periods of writer’s block. Pressing on regardless is the way to go. Thanks for the great post!

    • 12 Eli James // May 9, 2007 at 8:16 pm

      You’re welcomed, Amy. I usually do my serious writing on paper though, so it was ‘tear and throw in bin’ and not ‘bash computer monitor in frustration’.

      Hehe.

    • 13 Trevor // May 9, 2007 at 8:40 pm

      When the words are flowing easily writer’s block seems like a big joke, but when you have it the problem becomes no laughing matter, yet you seem to have found what little humor there is with such an affliction. Well done.

      I’ve even occasionally written about writer’s block too on my writing blog here:
      http://www.trevorhampel.com/

    • 14 Karlo Licudine // May 9, 2007 at 8:51 pm

      A real nice set of tips.

      Many writers suffer from writer’s block especially if the brain ceases to squirt those creative juices that we need so much in writing.

      This is very normal, especially to bloggers, coming up with content everyday sometimes tend to thin the creative aspect of a blogger.

      These set of tips are really helpful. I know, because I do all of them (except for the tower defense, dont know there was such a thing hehe).

      Sadly. I am only familiar with the song Monkey Wrench. The others on the list are still ok, but I love Monkey Wrench most. Maybe because of its cool beat and the rad guitar solos.

      Still, i enjoyed listening to the others on the list. I bet it took you a hard time compiling this list considering that there arent a lot of songs out there which features monkeys. ^_^

      Thanks for your post.

      If you have time, why don’t you drop by my post:
      http://mobileko.blogspot.com/2007/05/snatch-top-5-tips-on-how-to-be.html

      It’s also an entry for the problogger top 5- group writing project. ^^ Goodluck to us all!

    • 15 Overcoming Writer’s Block // May 9, 2007 at 8:56 pm

      […] Shut up and write - written by Eli James on the Novelr blog. Wednesday May 9th, 2007 | Categories: The Writer’s Life; Writing Hints; Writer’s block » Leave a comment   […]

    • 16 Karlo Licudine // May 9, 2007 at 8:57 pm

      Oops, I’m sorry about my first comment. It seemed that I had my comments mixed up. Im very sorry. T_T

      Dont mind the paragraph about the monkey wrench.

    • 17 Ali // May 9, 2007 at 9:22 pm

      I find when I suffer from writers block a good walk does me fine and then a little bit of web surfing, a lot happens in 45 mins, and then I get a few more ideas.

      Great read for the group blogging project. Check out mine on my blog.

    • 18 Benjamin Solah // May 9, 2007 at 10:00 pm

      Really enjoyed your post. Glad my blog isn’t the only writing blog for the Group Writing Project this time around.

      Rise of Nation is my procrastinating game of choice, though it takes up a lot of time.

    • 19 Top Five List For Those Who Dont Know Abt It… at Technix Update // May 9, 2007 at 10:04 pm

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    • 20 Eli James // May 9, 2007 at 10:05 pm

      @ Trevor, how true. Just the other night I was laughing at the idea of Writer’s Block. It seemed absurd, not knowing what your next essay or chapter or paragraph would be about.

      Until I woke up 2 days later not knowing what to write about. It’s infective I tell you. Infective!

      @Karlo, I was extremely tickled with your monkey wrench. Do you use it for idea meditation? ;P

      @Ali, I read your post for the group blogging project yesterday, and I loved it. Didn’t dare to comment though - it seemed like something waaay out of my league.

      And yes, walks help - but not yesterday. =)

    • 21 Karlo Licudine // May 9, 2007 at 10:08 pm

      Lol. Sorry about the monkey wrench.

      Come to think of it, I tend to listen to music whenever I get writers block. ^_^ Especially those rock music! yeah!

    • 22 Eli James // May 9, 2007 at 10:17 pm

      Hehe. Music messes with my mind. I can’t write nor blog with anything on, even if it’s classical music (which I listen to a lot). Still! To each his or her own!

    • 23 Brad Shorr // May 9, 2007 at 10:41 pm

      Excellent suggestions. I’ve tried one or two myself and they usually work. Great blog.

    • 24 Top Five Group Writing Project: Day Two // May 9, 2007 at 10:57 pm

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    • 25 374 Top Fives // May 9, 2007 at 11:21 pm

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    • 26 Eli James // May 9, 2007 at 11:25 pm

      To Benjamin Solah:

      Sorry for not noticing your comment earlier - Akimet gobbled it up and I had to salvage it.

      Ahh, I’m glad I found another writing blog too! Will bookmark you.

      @Brad Shorr, thank you for your comment. You’ve tried one or two? Caffiene or naps? ;P

    • 27 My top pick for day 2 group writing project · Learning On Demand // May 9, 2007 at 11:43 pm

      […] Shut Up And Write, ok..ok, I got the message […]

    • 28 Benjamin Solah // May 9, 2007 at 11:45 pm

      Yeah, I noticed that some of my comments weren’t going through on some wordpress blogs. Care to elaborate on what askimet did to it?

      I’ve returned the favour and added you to my RSS.

    • 29 Eli James // May 10, 2007 at 12:49 am

      Akismet relegated them to the spam pile, and I have a choice of either de-spamming or deleting.

      I can only attribute it to teething problems, but Akismet overall is pretty solid, so I don’t mind it gobbling up a valid comment once in a while.

    • 30 ear sucker » Blog Archive » Group Writing Project Day Two // May 10, 2007 at 1:28 am

      […] Shut Up And Write by Eli James […]

    • 31 James Pegram // May 10, 2007 at 1:29 am

      Eli,

      Thanks for the great contribution to the group writing project. I’d probably never have found your blog without it. Writers block can be so frustrating sometimes I find that taking a nap or just doing something else in general usually helps. Look forward to reading more.

    • 32 alec // May 10, 2007 at 1:32 am

      My solution for writer block involve tequila and a hookah bar, but this works too.

    • 33 Justin Durst Jr // May 10, 2007 at 1:40 am

      Interesting post, and I compliment you on your site. Nice, clean, and plenty of content. It would seem that writer’s block doesn’t hit you too often. I have a confession, though: I have never experienced writer’s block. I have been on the other side of the spectrum several times, though, as I have a habit of over analyzing and over-writing. Anyway, I enjoyed your post!

    • 34 Rudolph the Red Nosed 9/11 Reindeer | Prose Before Hos // May 10, 2007 at 1:54 am

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    • 35 Garotos de Web - 374 top 5 no mundo // May 10, 2007 at 2:10 am

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    • 36 Eli James // May 10, 2007 at 2:22 am

      @ James, you’re welcomed. And through your comment I found your blog as well! Are you contributing to the writing project?

      @alec: Tequila … I knew something was wrong with suggesting vodka in my post. ;P

      @Justin, thanks for the comment. I’ve a niggling suspicion to your lack of writer’s block: you write football. =) Football is passion. How can one not be inspired after watching a match?

      PS: I do get writer’s block. All these posts here - some of them took me 30 minutes to write. Others … half a day. God forbid that ever happens to anyone. Horrible, horrible stuff.

    • 37 Group Writing Project - Top 5 day 2 | Techie Buzz // May 10, 2007 at 2:49 am

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    • 38 ming the artmaker // May 10, 2007 at 2:49 am

      soloman was describing women in a very “spiritual” or metephoric way..and not visually as we are so accuctomed too these days.

      there are deeper insights, that upon pondering show us hidden beauties:) like my —————– which you were so kind to comment on.

      but then all of you probably knew that already.

      nice talking with all of you.

      nice post.

      1-4 check. but 5, is the clincher…, the big diffrence between those who succeed and those who fail…

    • 39 Eli James // May 10, 2007 at 2:59 am

      You’re welcomed, ming.

      Yes, I know Solomon didn’t mean it like he said, yet for some reason it keeps on popping up in my head when I place ‘bible’ and ‘humour’ together. I couldn’t resist the temptation to put it in.

      Your post was a great idea, and yes, no.5 is always a problem, even for the best of us.

    • 40 LearningNerd // May 10, 2007 at 3:56 am

      Great post! I can definitely relate. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, and writer’s block is practically a daily thing for me. It usually helps if I go out for a walk and take a pencil and notebook with me. The problem is I’m usually too lazy to do that. :P

    • 41 ShadowsEdge // May 10, 2007 at 4:17 am

      Great list… but I’d never make it past #2. I love to read entirely too much to pull myself away from it and go back to the paper!

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    • 44 Danielle // May 10, 2007 at 6:13 am

      Great post, especially entertained by #2. Will be linking this one on my blog!

      Here’s my Top 5 entry, if you’re so inclined.

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    • 46 Eli James // May 10, 2007 at 11:43 am

      @Learning Nerd, yeah - and sometimes it’s raining outside, so we have very valid excuses to stay at home and mope. ;P

      @Shadowsedge, try picking a slightly less addictive book? The Bible cuts it pretty fine.

      @Danielle, I’ve commented on your blog. Glad you enjoyed the post!

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    • 48 sven // May 11, 2007 at 4:44 am

      nice read, a lot of people will have a use for this. added you in my rewiev of this project.

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    • 75 Sherri Caldwell - The Rebel Housewife // May 17, 2007 at 1:42 am

      Eli, I’m just now getting back to reading through the Top 5’s . As a fellow writer, I enjoyed your advice! As far as reading for writing inspiration, I go back to Anne LaMott (Bird by Bird) every time. A good half-hour with her always seems to unblock. Regards, Sherri

    • 76 Eli James // May 18, 2007 at 2:28 am

      Glad you enjoyed the post, Sherri. Bird by Bird? I’ll look it up on Amazon. =)

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