writers block + creative block = roadblock

Okay I know a lot has been said about writers block – enormous wonderful resources out there to get you through this niggly and often annoying little problem (this one courtesy of Kim Wilkins) …for well… for writers, lyricists, artists, the block is the same and the way through them is usually the same.

Obvious solutions and one tried and tested and true.

Writer: WRITE through the BS until you find your voice and rhythm

Lyricist: WRITE through the BS until you find your voice and rhythm

Artist: PAINT through the BS until you connect with your creativity

SO…keeping all the above in mind, what if I were to say to you that sometimes writers block can be much more than a creative block.  What you experience becomes a massive ‘mutha fucking’ ROADBLOCK! that requires us to dig even deeper into our already warped, messed up creative mind.

What is really blocking you?

I do believe whole-heartedly in all the above about writers block. I actually believe there is no such thing as writers block, having been there, done that!  It’s a phrase us creatives pull out of our butts, when what we really are experiencing is procrastination, fear, stuck on a plot solution, the characters have time warped to the wrong fucking planet and you don’t know how to get them back, so you walk around drinking lattes with friends, or at the pub with your mates drinking bottles of wine, or digging around in the garden, and oh, what about ‘el desperado’ getting stuck into housework.  We all love housework so much don’t we?

Writers block does not exist. It only exists in our minds as an excuse for not doing the work when the solution is to WRITE. Write page after page after page of crap if necessary until you find the gold – Yep, it’s all been said before, much more eloquently than I, so I shall leave it there.

What I am going to propose in this instance is a very real ROADBLOCK and it’s usually when we find something in our life has bought us to our knees, literally.  We can’t get past this feeling of moving forward even with the wriitng tips mentioned above.  None of the solutions is working, not even cleaning the house.  Procrastination and stuffing around on facebook is even losing it’s shine.  So what is up with that?

If you’re at this point after eliminating all of the above, I would suggest something much greater is going on here and time to look deep.  Deep into your psyche (come on I know you can do it) you’re a writer after all – isn’t that what we do?

You have to get out the gold panning thingy. You know where you go panning for gold down in the river beds at the bottom of the mines.  Where you dip in your basket all filled with joy and hope of finding the sparkly, only to find a pile of crud, dirt, stones, twigs and all other bits and bobs of seemingly useless junk.  None of us are really having much fun by this stage coz where’s the fucking gold?

So you keep sifting through, shaking your basket from side to side trying to be gentle but then you get a bit carried away and sometimes dump it all back into the river bed and then you have to start again.  This time with a bit of patience and kindness and easy does it, you sift and sift and finally you will find that speckle of gold.  It might be the tiniest of specks but there it is sparkling and shining amongst all the shit and BOOM – you’ve made progress.  You are so delighted that all your patience and time paid off because you found your piece of gold.

Well sometimes our ROADBLOCK is just that.  A block within ourselves and not necessarily anything to do with the creative process at all.  We have to treat ourselves with the same kindness, patience and resolve as we do when we’re panning for gold.  Slowly sifting through the shit. 

This could mean long walks by the ocean, or in the bush, or scribbling random thoughts in a journal, playing music, dancing or simply just sitting with yourself and digging deep into the dark, shitty world of YOU. Sifting through, acknowledging the feelings, the hurt, the pain and as we acknowledge, and let each one go, we finally find that sparkle.

That tiny piece of gold. The glimmer of hope, of love, a sprinkling of desire and passion and slowly the light comes on again and we are ready to show up.  Show up in all areas of our life.  Be present, be accountable and once we have done that – we can WRITE/PAINT/DANCE/SING again.

So next time you think you have writers block, you don’t. 

The best strategy is to just write through the shit until you get to the other side BUT if that doesn’t work, step aside and look at what is turning up in your life. 

What is really going on?

It could be way beyond the simple act of being out of practice, it could quite simply be time to look within and clear you own shit.

Forgive yourself, acknowledge and let go.  Then see how that roadblock becomes the perfect detour to getting you back on track. And before you know it, your book is humming along and the creative juices are flowing again

I’m super keen to hear your thoughts on this one.  Leave a comment below, share with a friend, facebook, tweet and let’s get a conversation going

Don’t want to miss a post then please sign up for the ‘Jewelicious list’ and I have some goodies coming your way but only if you are a ‘Jewel lister’ so get on board and I look forward to seeing you in the next post.