The Remedy

When the dreaded block appears and shows its ugly head always remain calm. Notice that traffic jams aren't all that bad until someone starts honking and yelling. One "move it along" will follow another and another progressing in intensity and urgency until something or someone boils over. However, when the traffic police comes along in his slick motorbike and gives direction, things start to move along. The point is to stay cool, don't panic, don't lose your cool even in the midst of the dreaded block. This will be the time for your brain to catch up and sort things out. The silence can sometimes be really frightening but use this time of silence to breathe and sort out the clutter or traffic jams that have accumulated. This would be a good time to go for that walk, run, swim, or whatever you do to relax and unwind.

After this time of destressing and cleaning the clutter, review the story so far. Time to look for the next opening, the next path in your story.

Then, after these process the block is still before you take your pen or pbtc (put butt to chair) and forge on. Head bent down, take pen to paper or punch the keys on the keyboard and keep on doing. If you need to backtrack or change certain parts go ahead and do it. The important thing is to keep on writing and thinking and plan the next course of your story or plot. You can always go back to tidy up or cut if you don't like any part.

Operative word:

1. Relax, don't panic.
2. Forge on. Write and keep writing.
3. Backtrack or find another path in your plot or story.
4. Explore the terrain of your story. Do you spot any area that can be changed or reworked?

Never give up. I heard a writer once said these words and it's so true:

The difference between a new writer and a well seasoned writer is that the seasoned writer keep on working it through the block and the new writer stops and gives up because it's too hard.

That really opened my eyes. Every writer finds it hard in the beginning. Why should it be different with me? They can do it so can I because that is what I want to be. That is what I love.

Forge on, with my head bent against the wind and sun and rain, I will not give up.