A few years ago, I had the bright idea of writing a story and having it published at Amazon’s self-publishing venue. I knew the story I would tell, very well, it was based on a period of my life which changed my life forever. I, of course, thought the story would make for good reading and began to write… and then I blocked. And then I forced myself to write and the writing was as if a stranger had possessed my body without access to my memories and was writing junk! I gave up on the story and found other creative ways to express myself until lately.
Maybe it’s because of having had cancer that I decided to re-visit that all-important, life-changing episode in my life and try again to write about it. So, I tried. And I tried again, and again, and again. I have written and re-written, changed and unchanged the first chapter, I’m not even sure it’s a chapter yet, it’s NOT, I know it’s not because there’s so much more to fit into it according to my outline. I have probably written 15,000 words to arrive at 1,200 words that really, really fit my first chapter, at least the first part of my first chapter.
I think I’m bummed out because my second surgery is approaching in four weeks. I wish I could un-block and just write.
Cancer Isn't Pink 
Ugh, I hate writer’s block.
Hope things shift for you soon.
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I hope you are able to unblock. I have a similar, perhaps, difficult experience in my life and I find it incredibly hard to write non-obliquely about it, so I typically pour aspects of it into fiction. I wonder if that approach might work to help unblock you? I also read another tip recently, applied to fiction, but maybe it might work here as well: interviewing the protagonist. It is backstory that won’t go directly in your story per se, but maybe it will get the creative sparks a-sparkin’ again (even if it means interviewing yourself, perhaps you can tap into yourself from the past by asking her what music she was listening to then, etc.). In any case, good luck!
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Thank you so much for all of your tips, they are great! I do sprinkle fiction in, I just think the first part is the toughest because I know exactly where I want to start and what I want to convey and how I want to convey it. I have jumped far, far ahead and finished writing a future chapter that was so easy to write because those passions have never been buried. I actually think that I’m almost finished with the first chapter now, I’m promising myself to not re-read it again until I finish the next chapter, which is going to be an easy one too.
I am going to write a post and keep it as my desktop wallpaper, “Interview the protagonist!!” That is BRILLIANT!! Thank you!
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No problem … though “interview the protagonist” isn’t my original idea, of course. 🙂 I think I might follow your lead one of these days soon and dive back into writing my fiction/fantasy book; I think I, too, have about 15-20K completed on it thus far. Good luck to us both!
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YES! One day our manuscripts will be completed! Positive thinking, positive thinking. 😉
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We are going to be laid up at pretty much the same time. I’m going in March 5th for tests, surgery Mar 6th. Let’s try to keep in touch.
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I do NOT believe this! My surgery is March 6th too!! Oh well, at least it’s not the Ides!! 😉 Yes, I’ll keep my laptop next to me on my recliner. I have come to rely on my blogging community to take my mind of of things.
When will you be home? I’ll be home the same day. I’ll be watching for you and sending good vibrations and hoping that Garry will be making sandwiches and soup for you!
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I’ll be in at least a week, probably in the ICCU for half of that. Once I’m out of the ICCU, I’ll have my little tablet. What condition I’ll be in is hard to know. Other people who’ve done this assure me it’s really not as bad as it sounds. Serious, but I should be back to humanity sooner than I think. I want to believe them.
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Me too, I want to believe them for you!
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Let’s go with optimism. I need to believe it will be okay. I’m vaguely wondering how my poor little implants will hand all that cutting and stitching. they are such nice little implants (sigh).
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Oh, I would think that your doctor has probably operated on other people with implants, I sure hope so.
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He seemed unfazed when I mentioned it … but I have the feeling very little fazes him. He’s a top heart surgeon. Very pleasant and VERY confidant. Probably a good thing for the guy who’s going into my heart with a scalpel. Argh. That’s SO creepy.
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That’s the kind of surgeon I would want too, one that’s confident! Before we know it, it’s going to be July and we’ll all be complaining about the heat and wildfires and have forgotten about health problems. … I can dream, can’t I? 😉
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From you mouth to the ear of God!
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Write daily about all that you see. A blade of grass, a waiting area, just write anything and it will come. Good luck x
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You are right, focusing on the “block” is counter-productive and maybe it just means that I need a re-set – which your method would achieve! Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment! 😀
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