Writing comes in a piece of poetry, the half-written quotes in your notes, the captions on your Instagram, the novel on your shelf and the journal entry in your diary. Each of these pieces doesn’t meet their completion without some creative difficulties. Be it a beginner typing the first few chapters of a novel or a published author, these problems are faced by every writer. We most often find ourselves reading through a rational piece of instructions about writing but that hardly helps us. It is not until you dive into the creative depth of it that you realise, every word has an inspiration behind it. Throughout your journey with this art, there will be times that you will lose this very inspiration and creativity will begin to drown. In a battle with creativity, here are five situations every writer has struggled with and how one can overcome them –
Without any doubt, the most troubling phase is writer’s block. Every time you sit at your desk, you find yourself fighting with a blank mind. A blank slate is usually a perfect start to ink with immaculate creativity on it but this is a situation when there are no ideas that strike you. Crumpled paper balls, each of them scribbled with a new title and later crossed out, lay on the edge of the table. As each of them falls on the floor, so does your motivation.
Free writing comes off as one way to beat writer’s block where noting everything that comes in your mind, generates a topic for you to work on. You could also refer to a book or any written piece related to the genre you want to write on. If you haven’t decided on a genre, it gives you an opportunity to try something new. Experiment with genres that you would otherwise not touch and let the excitement make you write.
As an amateur writer, expecting reviews is pointless. People around you might not treat your story with honesty, or even if they do, they might not be able to magnify the details. Compliments like, ‘nice’ or ‘well versed’ aren’t likely to help any writer. It is when the writing is commented on the choice of language, setting, introduction of characters and plot that the writer gains a critical perspective on the story. A lack of these usually leads to self-doubt in the writer. That insecurity provokes critical editing and leaves the writer with a blank page again.
Editing of a piece should only be touched upon once it is fully written. It allows you to validate your first drafts and move on to improvement than scrape the raw content before you can refine it.
One of the most irritating processes is resuming an article that you left a long time back. It takes forever to acquaint yourself with the previous pages before you can finally continue. Most works are left unfinished because the writer fails to resume them. Returning to an old creation requires you to employ trial and error before you can find that one connecting line that inspires you to write further. Flip through your research and any writing plan that you prepared, to recover from them the central theme of your article.
Choosing and recognizing your style of writing is a beautiful process rather than a struggle. For some people, it takes them years to find their style, for others it is a matter of months. It happens on that one fine day when you finish writing a really passionate story that fills you with immense contention and instantly connects you. It is when you can hear your voice on paper that you have found your style.
As a profession, this art form can become really lonely sometimes. Sitting on one chair for hours, and typing away can become an isolated experience. It can cage you in four walls, also making your creativity drop eventually. It is to be enjoyed from the soul, not just the mind. Visiting libraries or book cafes is an indulgent experience, where looking around at other aspiring writers could ignite ambition in you too. Joining writer groups and connecting with fellow writers leads to engaging conversations and is likely to make you feel belonged. A recent trend of reading clubs organised in gardens and parks could contribute to some energising hours in the day.
As I conclude this article, I can remember every library that I’ve ever visited. Vintage lanterns hung on the walls, quietness and serenity surround you as you look at other people and feel the words pour out of your fingers. I can remember all the conversations I’ve had with writers around me who’ve shared their most fulfilling and tough times with me. Both their successes and mistakes were learning opportunities for me. I can remember walking to the bin throwing the crumpled folios feeling low but then also reminiscing my favourite articles as I turn back pages and allow creativity to seep in again.
