Stuck in the Middle

My writing tends to move in cycles, and over time I’ve become accustomed to this. No-one exists in a vacuum. Sometimes other things impact on the ability to write with a sense of focus and purpose.

Writer’s block isn’t usually an issue for me. There are a few ideas that I’m thinking about or working on, and lately I have been dipping deeper into research. This has involved places that I’ve visited recently. There has been comfort of a sort in immersing myself in information from various sources. But when it comes to writing up a summary that is a prelude to a post, I have been a bit, well, stuck. I write something out, read it, put it aside, knowing that it needs more work or effort. And that I don’t have time or capacity of mind to complete it in a way that I would find satisfactory.

A recent email from writing teacher Judy Reeves resonated with me. It opened with an acknowledgement that ‘stuck happens!’ Judy writes that getting stuck in a writing piece is like a blockage in a sink. There is a backlog, pressure is building, and it is tempting to throw your hands up and give it all away. Instead, try a little patience as things work their way through. Step away from the page or screen, do something else, don’t force the point. Far better to acknowledge that you are stuck and return with a fresh perspective.

One of Judy Reeve’s suggestions is to use a DIY creative writing kit to help overcome a hiatus.

Emails from people who inspire me are a dose of sunshine on a cloudy day. These include Judy Reeves, Rhonda Hetzel and Pip Lincolne. They provide inspiration when I need encouragement. It is surprising how often they seem to arrive at just the right time!

What helps you get past a creative sticking point?

[Photo: old typewriter at Kandos Industrial Museum]