Bloggers’ block? Climb a ladder
It’s 9.15 on Monday 6th May and I’m due to write the MTW blog for tomorrow. I’ve heard of writer’s block and have experienced a few periods seemingly becalmed with no original ideas…but blogger’s block?
During my Chemistry teaching days I developed a love-hate relationship with writing reports. It wasn’t particularly time pressure or the ridiculous phase where professional teachers removed brains and inserted computer-generated sentences, fooling no-one, including parents. No! My angst occurred when tired blandness took over and creativity disappeared. Clichés followed on: ‘Jamie started off slowly and has tapered off ever since’. Actually, that’s not too bad.
But when the creative juices were flowing, I felt satisfied that I’d actually ‘said something’ useful, original, encouraging, or necessarily honest, and occasionally amusing.
David Smart, on Sunday, wrote about imposter syndrome, others have shared debilitating experiences of procrastination and distraction, and here I am still struggling to find sentence number one.
All I can see in my mind’s eye is a snakes and ladders board: a parable of the writer’s journey oscillating between depression and elation. Depression for me started rather early on, aged 13, when my poem was accepted for the prodigious honour of the school magazine…but then, curiously, was omitted. A whole half-century later and whaddayaknow I have my first published poem…Not Just Mud included in the Wheelsong Anthology 4 for Children in Need.
(Also on my website: https://www.unlessaseed.com/blog/not-just-mud-a-trilogy )
So, now I feel I have my first sentence for this blog. Don’t give up.
The nub of the issue seems to be a question? Are we atheists with our writing, trusting entirely in our own genetically derived talent and hard work, independent of God, or are we, believers, having entrusted everything to God knowing He is the source of our inspiration? I favour the latter. Either way, we mustn’t give up.
I can only hope this confessional post describing my own sense of bloggers’ block this morning has persuaded someone to pick up their dormant pen and, ink flowing, clamber up the next ladder with fresh inspiration.
https://wheelsong.co.uk/publications/f/wheelsong-poetry-anthology-4
Great thoughts here John, it's always interesting when several posts on here explore a similar theme...it's as if God might be trying to tell us something! I really like your idea about how we can be 'atheists with our writing', trying to work independently, food for thought. Also, you reminded me of the amusing time when my daughter's primary school report seemed curiously familiar... it was word for word the same as the previous year with the date changed. I suspect report writing time isn't a highlight for most teachers!
ReplyDeleteVery good to know you rumbled the reports! But also glad you've picked on the 'atheists' comment. Food for thought for me as well even as I typed it!
DeleteI love that phrase, 'Can we be atheists with our writing?' I certainly hope not, but do we invite God into everything we do? Can we be atheists in other areas of our lives? Such an interesting blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks Brendan, and, as above with David's comment about 'atheists', I'm glad that phrase has been a thought-provoker. One of those 'it came to me as I wrote it' phrases. By the way, I'm enjoying Write Characters and getting into the exercises...quite challenging.
DeleteGlad you like it.
DeleteLovely post, John. Thanks. While not overtly encouraging us in explicit terms, you assure us with hope that we are not alone in the blocks writers face. We are all in it. There's comfort in numbers. Congrats in getting a poem accepted in Wheelsong! Blessings.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you as well Sophia!
DeleteA great post John, I know what you mean about bloggers block, and i love the way you explain writing using the snakes and ladders.. Considering you had bloggers block you have written an amazing and inspiring blog. God bless.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Derrice!
DeleteLove the snakes and ladders idea! Thank you for sharing, it can be disheartening to struggle with writing, and it makes us feel like we're the only one...
ReplyDelete'tis a solitary existence - think I'm in between a snake and a ladder at the mo!
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