Could this be writer's block?
I’ve heard of it before, but I didn’t think it could happen
to me. Let’s see. What are the symptoms.
Uninspired? Check.
Lack of creativity? Check.
Do I feel like my brain is constipated? Yep.
Wow. I think I have writer’s block. That’s not good though.
A very bad case of writer’s block is what caused the character Jack Torrence to
go “off his rocker” in The Shining.
How did it happen? I don’t think I hit my head on anything
and I certainly don’t remember getting killed. Maybe this is what happens to
people when they start writing and getting lots of creative juices flowing.
Eventually, your muse takes a vacation and leaves you stranded like a jilted
bride.
Actually, I have
been doing lots of writing. My police reports are always keeping me busy.
However, there is very little room for creativity. I try to make them somewhat
enjoyable to read whenever I have room to flex my creative muscles. I have to
be careful NOT to inject too much humor. Otherwise, I may seem flippant.
“My investigation has
determined the horse wandered into the roadway where it was struck by a large
delivery truck. The blood and guts strewn on the roadway made a nice maple leaf
pattern that reminded me of Winnipeg. Ironically, the truck was hauling glue.”
See?
I’ve done some
writing for school too. Essays and analytical type stuff. I think my professor appreciates
the humor I inject into my writing. One of the downsides to being a college
professor has to be the new batch of terrible writing that is generated for
class. It’s like an unending harvest of dreck. The subject matter can be a bit
dry when writing about such things as leadership principles. When asked for a
term paper, “What makes a good leader?” I wrote of the importance of knowing
when to say, “Yes, dear.” Also remembering to leave the toilet seat down is a
key component of effective leadership.
I guess the only way out of writer’s block is to just start
writing. If the ideas are there they will penetrate the membrane and release
themselves. It’s a matter of taking the time to sit down and start hammering
out words. Ah, that feels much better. J
