Beating Writer’s Block
In literacy training I learned a technique to help new writers overcome their reluctance to write, or their discomfort with writing (it differs from speaking or reading because it’s a commitment to the action that is not so easy to retract–if you say or read something wrong you can always backpeddle with “Oh right, that’s what I meant to say.” but if you write it down, it’s there in print and much more difficult to gloss over as anything other than a mistake), and I thought it could be a good method for beating writer’s block for some people (though, I don’t know for sure, I’ve never actually experienced writer’s block myself, and can’t even imagine what it would be like…I need a writer’s cork most of the time) because it gets the brain into the writing state of mind in a way that’s completely non-threatening. It gets the engine started without the worry of where are we going. The technique (like all good techniques) is very simple. Fill a page with writing. Write anything at all. Write your name, write the letter “m”, write blah blah blah, write words you see around you, copy out of a book within reach, write anything until you fill a single page. Then throw it away.
Tags: exercise, technique, writer's block, Writing
May 27th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Your trash-can will be a good place to look for `found poetry`!
May 29th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Actually, if you read Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Path (or Way or something) she suggests that all artists fill 3 pages every morning, first thing in the morning. The writing doesn’t have to be glamorous or eloquent, just the habit of getting out your emotions and being disciplined enough to do it every day is the point. I did it for a while, and it was very freeing after the first month or so.