Thoughts on writer’s block and other first word problems

“I once heard an anecdote about a writer who’d spent a week in his apartment working on his novel, without a break. Compassionate friends finally dragged him away to dinner for the sake of sanity, and for a much needed breather.

“What did you get done this week?” the writer’s chums inquired.

“In the mornings, I put in a comma,” he answered gloomily, “and at night, I took it out again.”

Perhaps the guy had a creative block, who knows? But I’ll wager he’d also neither read nor followed the great Ray Bradbury’s advice in his book, “Zen in the Art of Writing.”

“This afternoon, burn down the house,” Bradbury wrote. “Tomorrow, pour critical water upon the simmering coals.”

In other words: don’t judge what you’re writing while you’re at it. Reserve your critiques for the editing phase. That’s the time to correct errors.

Of course, Bradbury is saying, the creative and judgement moods must be separated. Failing to recognize this is one sure way to get nothing done but spin your wheels, like our unfortunate writer with his vexing comma. When the creative fire is under you, go nuts.

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