I'm often lazy, I often procrastinate; but once I sit down to write, I always produce. Sometimes the writing is better than other times; but I don't believe that has anything to do with that dreaded condition known as Writer's Block. I contend that writer's block is as real as one chooses to make it. I also think it's a syndrome that covers a lot of areas. Author and teacher Erica Jong has this to say about it: "“All writing problems are psychological problems. Blocks usually stem from the fear of being judged. If you imagine the world listening, you'll never write a line. That's why privacy is so important. You should write first drafts as if they will never be shown to anyone.” Maybe I'm in denial or maybe I'm just lucky; but I never suffer from writer's block. Only from full of shit block. But that's the sign of a wild imagination. For those that do get the nasty WB, here's a good article to provide you with techniques to minimize it's duration. http://io9.gizmodo.com/5844988/the-10-types-of-writers-block-and-how-to-...
Screenwriting : Is writer's block real or an ailment of the imagination? by Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal"
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I love Erica Jong. I couldn't wait to become an adult after reading The Fear of Flying.
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Bill: I remember my mother was glued to that book. Long live the zipless F*#k.
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Oh great - compare me to your mother. Why does everyone always do that? Crikey. And don't forget to wear a jacket if you go out tonight - it's chilly and you might catch a cold.
I hate canoe trips. No matter where I went canoeing - Wisconsin, Michigan, Tennessee, Minnesota, Canada - there would always eventually be a bunch of locals sitting around at some point in a bunch of lawn chairs, waiting to see us take the plunge. Rapids 24, Bill and Friends 0. One of these days, though...
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Do saxophone players get Sax Block? Or sculptors get Rock Block? Or Gym Junkies get Jock Block? No one can expect to get over such deadly conditions unless they practice, every day. Even if it's bad, at least you're DOING it. Practice is like fiber: it makes the blockages go away. :-)
Full of shit block, that's me! Goes hand in hand with "I'm watching this lifetime movie" block and "but I really need to organize my sock drawer" block. I'm queen of procrastination!! :-p
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Like I said in the other Writer's Block forum topic...it would be disrespectful to those who really do suffer from the condition of Writer's Block, or any type of "Block". It's a long-documented psychological or neurological condition that prevents people from being creative at times....and many great writers and artists have suffered from those maladies....and for long periods, too. Procrastination...or even just choosing not to write at all...isn't "Writer's Block" - they are conscious decisions that people make. I've certainly done both - procrastinating, and of choosing not to write at all.
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Bill: I just feel blessed that when I sit down to play drums or even write a script snd if I'm feeling well, I can normally do both with a certain level of proficiency.
Phillip - you said it!
If we want to mix the two subjects of mental health and the ability to write, there are a plethora of things that can cause one to get Writer's Block (as I'm sure you know Bill). http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/10/04/writers-block-causes-symptoms-cu... But for the average person - who, like Phil H. says, is lucky enough to be healthy enough to write - there seems to me to be one source of Writer's Block: and that's fear, and the different forms it comes in. You're right, Bill. Procrastination is not Writer's Block, but it is the behavioral consequence of the fear that causes Writer's Block. I would guess that, just like the heroes in many of our stories, people have wounds that cause that fear that results in flawed behavior, i.e. not writing. I hope that all people who have the strong desire to write can overcome that fear and achieve their goals. I was just suggesting that practice was the best way to do that. For those who have a more serious psychological problem with their ability to write, I believe that is a different topic for a different forum. But I also pray that they can one day overcome their trials, too.
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Phil - nice link!