As I put the final touches on two workshops that I’m presenting at the 3^rd Annual Emerald Coast Writers’ Conference at the end of March, I feel compelled today to write about the ever-popular debate of “writer’s block.”

Some writers believe there is no such thing as writer’s block. Others argue it is very real and point to their inability to start or to complete their current project. What are your thoughts on this subject?

For the most part, I stand in the first camp. That’s not to say that I, and hundreds of others, don’t get stuck. But we have learned to recognize it for what it is and have developed our personal tool kits to get us back on track. I’ll be talking about this at the conference.

So, if we’re not writing and the outcome is the same (no pages!), let’s agree there is a difference between staying away from our writing and from feeling unable to move forward in our writing.

Staying away from our writing has “procrastination” written all over it. We find ways to delay and even stop our writing for any number of reasons. What are your top three reasons to NOT write? The one I hear most often is: I don’t have time.

Hmmm . . . have you noticed how we always find a way to take time for the things we truly want to do (or need to do)? When we can make our writing a priority in our life, we will miraculously find the time to honor it and to produce our novel or our short story. We’ll stick to a goal and we’ll crank out the pages. We’ll write.

When we feel unable to write – we’re sitting at the desk every day with full intentions of writing and creating, but nothing is coming out – that is when we tend to label it as “writer’s block.”

I believe that what most of us categorize as a block, is actually an occurrence of our own making. Most of the time, this isn’t a conscious process, but something that occurs at a deeper level within us. And when we choose to really listen to that inner voice, that Creative Self, only then can we relax and allow a solution to emerge.

Usually, when we struggle with a particular scene or chapter, it’s our Inner Self trying to tell us there is something wrong with it. Knowing that about oneself makes it easer to allow the feelings to flow out and away and to re-analyze the particular trouble spot in our writing. In my opinion, this is not writer's block. It is a technical problem that needs a creative solution.

So the next time you feel ‘stuck,” take a good, hard look at your current writing. Does it need to be reorganized differently? Are the points salient? Is the character too stiff? Maybe the scene is not moving the plot forward. Whatever your discovery, take a deep breath and relax. It’s only your Muse tapping you on the shoulder, trying to help you out! Once you know what the problem is, you can get back on track and fix it.

Next time on this topic, we’ll explore ways to get you back on track.

Remember: Publishers publish books, not chapters. Nothing happens until you finish the book.

Happy writing!