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The Writer's Compass » Becoming A Writer, About Writing, The Writer's Life » Is It Really Writer’s Block?

Is It Really Writer’s Block?

I was staring at a blank page and I had nothing. That’s not quite true. I had notes on 5×8 cards, I had my ideas for the scene, I had the chronology of events for the scene, I knew my characters. And still, I sat on my bed, staring at a blank computer screen.

I had to ask myself, what’s wrong here? I don’t believe in writer’s block, so what is keeping me from at least typing the notes I’ve already hand written.

It was simple. I was sitting on the wrong side of the bed. No, really.

I write in bed, for one reason because my legs are short and they dangle, which is uncomfortable for long periods of time, so I like my legs propped and the bed is the best way to do that, I digress. Anyway, I have a very large bed, and I realized one day that I was sitting on the wrong side of the bed for creative writing. I was sitting on the television/working side instead of the music/creative writing side. I switched sides, started my music, and now I have found the distraction from the real world and a creative path into the work.

In The Writer’s Compass I talk about finding the triggers for writing so that you can get into the work faster and more easily. You also need to find the triggers that keep you from working so that you can overcome those. Who knew that one side of the bed would be more conducive to writing than the other?

What are your writing triggers?

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