I don’t know the meaning of writer’s block and why, because I’m not writing for the world, but for me and my passion for storytelling.

I don’t know the meaning of writer’s block and why, because I’m not writing for the world, but for me and my passion for storytelling. What I write, I want to loan to the world to read, but when it comes down to it, why do we write? For fame and fortune, the love of it, just a job, felt I had to follow in mum, dad or whoever’s footsteps? Only you can honestly answer that question. I write because I love it. Once upon a time, I escaped the world into my imagination and haven’t left it since. I want to be in the clouds, in that imaginary spot where I can be the hero or the monster and everything in-between. I love being in places where I’m in total control and no one can get in, into my mind that is.

I truly believe writers block comes with subconsciously or consciously thinking, who is going to read my work? Oh my god, what if my mum reads this, she would have kittens. I dare not swear, use violence or sexual references; my dad would disown me. What if my friends laugh at it? What if an agent or publisher rejects it? What if it’s not commercially viable? What if the story line has been done before? What if my style doesn’t conform to everyone else’s? What if, what if, what if. Get rid of them. Free your mind. This is your baby, your creation. Express yourself the way you want to. Take away the chains binding your creativity and even you as a person. Failure comes with not having confidence in your work. Writers block is the fear of rejection, not meeting a deadline and expectations of you.

Think writers block is due to running out of ideas?

The book world would come to a halt if this were the case. They are all in you, you just have to ask the right questions and expect the answers. Try looking at a sunset. Ask yourself what you see, describe it, feel it, what is your mood at that moment? Believe me, you can write a novel on a sunset.

For many years, I considered myself illiterate. I couldn’t spell or punctuate and avoided reading books due to not understanding the majority of words. Just thinking about my problem, led me to write ‘Signature for Sunshine’. Another example, sitting in a pew within a church, I was thinking, is this really my ticket to heaven? Again, this one thought was behind the book, ‘The pew is not a one way ticket to heaven’. Living on a farm and looking at my house from the middle of a paddock, resulted in, ‘They died and moved in’. Standing in front of a new building, ‘Aus Com’ came about. Ideas are all around us and in us if we ask the right questions and seek answers.

I never think, has it been done before or who will read it. I write because I want to express what’s in my head, in my emotions, what does this particular topic mean to me and what does it relate to in my life. There is always something to write about. Another example; I had a funny experience with a fly and a rat, these critters got a mention in my book, ‘They died and moved in’. Talk to a monk; they can tell you stories about a blade of grass, which will enlighten and enchant you. Why, because they are not thinking, will you buy it, market it and make a million out of it. They are sharing something precious to them. I use the word share, as that is exactly how I see stories, sharing. Yes, I know, we all have to eat and pay bills. So we are back to, why do you truly want to write? What will be sacrifice in your creation for the sake of outside validation, fears of rejection, the hunt for fame and fortune? Your talent will be sacrificed, your imagination squelched. 

Now saying this, being true to yourself and your creation does not mean broke and a nobody; another article in itself. It comes back to writers block and being true to yourself and your creativity. Remove all, what ifs. Remove all, who is going to read this. Remove all, I’ll do what other’s expect of me and take on someone else’s style because they are popular. Remove the box you have placed yourself in. Open your eyes, ears and heart and you will never have writers block. In addition, you will be free to express yourself like never before. Believe me, it works and how do I know? I don’t believe I will live long enough to write all the stories in my head, even if I lived to a 100, that’s how much of the box I have removed. Do people like my work? Definitely! Do people hate it? Definitely! Does this stop me writing, definitely not!

© copyright 2005 Christine Jones