A Celebration of My Creative Mind (or Overcoming Writers' Block)

fast writing sample. Notice messy writing in the columns.

items crossed out weren't edited, but checked off because I used them in story.

Jana Segal

After getting some good feedback from the Scriptwriter’s Network, I was anxious, no, excited to begin rewriting my modern day Tombstone comedy, “Behind the OK Corral.” And I was motivated! A potential manager would be reading my revised script soon! Then life happened. My mom came to visit and we started this blog to promote our writing. I attended to two baby showers and a wedding in Missouri. I get home, all rarin' to write and....my husband asks for a divorce. Five days later he loses his job. So I've got all kinds of thoughts going through my head... How is this gonna affect our boys? How am I going to get a job after being out of the workplace for 25 years? In a single day I had every emotion in the book rushing through my body – panic, anger, loneliness, sadness, fear, relief, and anger. After the initial shock wore off, I put together a resume and went on my first job interview. I tried to be kind to myself and give myself time to grieve the loss of the marriage. But what I really wanted to do was write. And I was angry that I couldn't. But to write, you have to use your brain and mine was just a little preoccupied at the moment. When things finally settled down, I sat down pen in hand. I came up with nothing, nada. My brain was blank. But I was determined. I read over the notes from Scriptwriter's Network. Great advice. Nothing. I reread my writer's notebook. Nothing. I scribbled in my notebook. Still nothing. I was officially in a writers block.

Let me define what I consider writer's block. It is when I can't for the life of me figure out what to write or I'm stuck on how to solve some story problem. My mind has gone blank for a period of time. Articles have been written on how to overcome writer's block. One suggestion is to get some distance from the problem by going for a walk, painting a picture, or planting a garden. Just relax and the answer will come to you while you're taking a shower or washing dishes. This generally happens when you have already been mulling over your story for awhile. There was a seed of an idea. Sometimes inspiration comes BANG from something you read or see on the news. When this happens, be thankful and, for Pete's sake, write! It is a gift from God.

I believe that usually you need to plant the seed before inspiration will grow. That is why writing is work. Sometimes you have to force yourself to write something on that blank page. It is easier to keep writing if you have already been writing (the rock in motion theory), so it is important to develop a writing habit. Writing on a regular schedule (whether once a day or once a week) tells your subconscious that you're serious about writing. This is the cool part - your subconscious will actually continue to write even when you aren't consciously working on it. When things are really stewing in my subconscious, the ideas just flow. I feel a certain euphoria that resembles being in love. I call this being in a “writing mood.” It is one reason I write.

But how do you plant the seed? One trick I use is to write a question down in my notebook which I fully expect my subconscious to work on. (It is also helpful to do this right before you go to bed especially on the evening before you start a new project.) Then just write. Write anything. Don't edit. Just crap on the page. This part of the process should be messy. That's all right. There's even a name for it. It's called “fast writing” (from the excellent book, “Writing Down the Bones.”) Have faith. The ideas will come. It is all in you. You just need to let go and write. The important thing is not to edit – that blocks the creative mind. Just resign yourself – the first draft will be crap. Think of it as the discovery draft. You just want to release it from your head and onto the page. There will be plenty of time to sort it out and edit later when you rewrite. And you will rewrite.

Speaking of rewriting, lets get back to my recent writer's block. It was the result of interrupting my writing schedule which made it a struggle to get my head back into the story. But even with some monumental distractions, I overcame my block by using the techniques above and having faith that the answers would come when they were ready. And they did.

Now back to my screenwriting... :)