Writer’s block comes from rejecting our thoughts as not good enough. We may think our minds are blank, but they really aren’t. What we’re doing is rejecting what’s there with the hope of writing something that isn’t there. The solution is obvious. Allow yourself to write whatever is there.
Natalie Goldberg says, “Sit down with the least expectation of yourself. Say, ‘I am free to write the worst junk in the world.’”
We call this “free writing.” Suppose you have an idea for a scene. What are you going to write? Typically, your mind goes to work, trying to separate the good possibilities from the bad. An hour later, you still may not be sure where to start. This is the hardest way in the world to write.
The best way to start is to put down whatever is on your mind. Don’t worry about punctuation, grammar, or spelling. You don’t even care if it makes sense. Just write possibilities. Later, you can sort out the treasures, throw away the trash, and have a much better scene in less time.
Another approach is called “clustering.” Begin with a blank sheet and a single word that represents your idea. Then draw lines like spokes from the center and write a word or phrase for whatever comes to mind in response to the word in the center. From the end of each spoke, branch off with more lines, letting the spoke’s word lead to other related words. Pretty soon, your array of related words will lead you to that “Aha!” moment where you know where to head with what you have to say.
