Thursday, September 24, 2009

Writer's Block and Focus Issues

As some of you may know, I have hit a wall. Not a literal wall, although I sometimes wish it were so, but a figurative wall. It is a wall of my own making. It is a barrier as imposing as a mountain. It is, as you have guessed, writer's block.

The terrible thing about writer's block is that it should be easy to get past. One should be able to look at the computer, say, "Oh...this must be what writer's block feels like. I'd better get back to work!", and move along one's merry way, typing like an entire tome was going to pour out onto the page. Sadly, this is not the case.

Combine said block with the fact that I have attention deficit, and you see a horrible problem. In order to write, I have to be organized. In order to be organized, I have to be self-motivated. In order to be self-motivated, I have to have confidence. When I fail to be self-motivated, I feel guilty and dislike myself. Say goodbye to confidence.

What is the solution? Writing classes will tell you that brainstorming can help. That's where you sit at the computer and just start typing whatever pops into your head, no matter how nonsensical. It just involves letting the ideas flow from your mind and through your fingers. After the exercise is over, then you can either scan the document to see if there's anything you can use, file it away for future use, or delete it as a load of rubbish. But supposedly, it's like putting a crack in the dam. Once it's there, it's just a matter of time before the wall crumbles and the ideas pour out in a torrent.

Right.

And I'm Walt Whitman.

Still, it's kind of what I'm doing right now. I'm brainstorming. Just writing whatever pops into my head. Sort of. It's actually a rant with purpose.

I'll do better tomorrow. I promise.

Hugbees! Skittles! Wombats! (There goes that derailed train of thought again.)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't forget the ever-popular Snuggie (tm).

Angelina Fishy said...

At least you made a start ...

As I keep reminding a friend of mine struggling with French, 'baby steps'. It's irritating, but true. We'd all like to just magically fix quickly whatever problem it is that we're dealing with , but we can't. If you keep focusing on what you 'should' be able to do instead of what you can, you'll never get going. It's a vicious circle. So I say the same to you: 'Baby steps, Adam'.

Asia said...

Snorkle! I can do it too!

Adam said...

Felgerkarb!