There comes a point in every young writers life where they just can't think of anything to write about. They reach a wall similar to what runners encounter in a long race. When that happens there are only two options to choose from. One, you can just accept the wall's massive size and give up. Pack it in and call it a day, or week, or month. Option two, look for some cracks or weak points in the walls great surface and pick at it until it opens up wide enough to wiggle through. Much like the runner who has to dig deep and bust through the exhaustion and pain to finish the race, you as a writer must find a way to "finish" as well.
I'm not an accomplished writer by any means, but I've run into this problem multiple times trying to put up 3 to 4 blogs a week. The way I pick at the weak points might be the same way you can. Interestingly enough I use some of the same methods for writing that I do when I hit that runner's wall. I've never run a marathon, but I've done some long runs in my day. I did a half marathon while overseas, and a few 10K races and 6Ks. In all lengths of a run you will hit something that tries to take away your will to finish and make you stop. Whether it's just a short distance hurdle or a long distance brick wall, there will be a point in the run where the thought crosses your mind to start walking and justify it later. It's the same thing with writing. Maybe it's a book you're trying to finish or a blog you want to keep current. There comes a time when the thought crosses your mind to chalk it up as a loss and just stop.
I don't know about you, but for me, there is no worse feeling than quitting on something before it's finished. When I was just starting out as a runner I did that once during a 5 miler. I'll never do that again because of the overwhelming feeling of failure that washed over me. It was something that was in my head for a few weeks after the race. I didn't quit and just walk away, I walked for a mile or so before trotting across the finish line. That time I reached the wall, pulled up a chair, sat and marveled at it's power to remove all my will-power. It wasn't until I ran my next 5 miler that I realized how much influence our minds had over our bodies. I came to that same wall and literally talked myself over it and to the finish line. It was after that race I knew that I would never quit a race, or anything else for that matter, again. You might be thinking, "this doesn't have anything to do with writer's block." I disagree.
Writer's block, in theory, is just a wall that needs to be overcome. From my experience, that can be done simply by talking your way through it. It might not seem as extreme as running a long distance or doing anything physical for that matter. But it is, and it needs to be approached in the same fashion. You gather up your will-power, dig deep inside you, take a couple whacks at that wall and wait for it to come down. When writing, that can be done in very different ways. It's might not be as easy as just telling yourself to keep running and not to give up. You have to brainstorm, get some things down on paper, do some research and figure it out. Research can be watching the news, or browsing the Internet. NOT for porn! Unless you're writing about porn I guess. How about just taking a piece of paper and writing down the first couple things that pop into your head. You'll end up with a paper of mostly garbage, but something on that sheet might jump out at you and stir the pot of creativity. Sometimes you have to engage people in conversation and see where it goes. It might go nowhere, but what does that hurt? There's a chance, you need to be willing to take, that it leads you to an idea you didn't think about. The point is, writer's block isn't something to be taken lightly and needs to be handled with the same mental toughness that can power you through mile 9 of a half-marathon.
On a side note, that's where I estimated hitting a wall when I ran my half-marathon. I'd like to point out two things about that race. The longest I ran leading up to that race was 6 miles. I didn't get to properly train because I was traveling a lot through IRAQ. Also, I finished just a shade over 2 hours!
So getting back to the overall premise for this blog. Whether it's a long race, a tough week at work, a strenuous workout or writer's block. It can all be overcome by will-power and a strong understanding of how much influence your mind has over everything you're doing. If you don't believe that, you'll end up quitting later in life and giving Hand-jobs for Ham Sandwiches behind a Waffle House. I had a case of writer's block the past couple days. Then it occurred to me, "you can write about anything you want, why not write about not being able to write?" BOOM blog post!
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