Writing Log #3 & Writer's Block

Have you ever found yourself staring at a blank piece of paper, your hands itching to writer, but no matter how much you try, nothing seems to come out? Ah, most of us must be very familiar with the term writer's block. It's really common as a writer, an artist even, to find yourself stuck. There's no need to fret, because you're not alone and there's always a solution! Before I begin, I will say overcoming writer's block is a subjective experience and will vary among individuals. Everything listed below is what worked well for me!

I had been trying to write for the longest time and was unable to come up with anything that sounded good enough to me. It didn't matter what the idea had been, whether it was something old or new, I just wasn't able to write or edit anything.

This had been going on for over a month. For a moment, I considered that I would never be able to write anything anymore. There's a lot of self-doubt that comes with writer's block, a nagging feeling that tells you this is the end. But it's important to remember, you set our own limits, and you decide what you can accomplish. Of course, at that time, that's not wat I was thinking. I could only focus on the horrible feeling and in my fear of never being able to write, I found myself opening up an empty document, and begging for words to just spill out.

And so, I wrote:

He had been a boy when the night started, only to rise during the darkest hours to find he’d aged a hundred years.

It isn't a bad first line, but no matter how hard I pushed myself, I was unable to follow the urge to find out who this boy (or man) was and what was happening to him. So, I left it. I couldn't force myself to write when I didn't want to. If I had coerced myself into doing so, I think it would've made me hate writing even more.

So, what did I do in all that time? I watched TV shows while thinking about the multiple stories I could potentially be writing but wouldn't get around to writing them because I was not in the mood. And every time I picked up a book, I put it down just as fast, since I really didn't feel like reading. I've also been going on walks with a friend, urging her to tell me crazy stories, and hoping to be inspired by them.

This was so bothersome to me because when I do have the time, I didn't want to write and when I'm busy in class or doing something else, I'm always stealing some time to write or read. The truth is, I didn't want to continue like this, no matter how easy it was to accept that I am going through writer's block and just let myself be for some time. How can I leave someone alone when they are a part of me?

Of course, I can't entirely do that. So, just like I'm used to speaking with my characters when I'm unsure of what they want, I decided to talk to the inner Fiza and ask what she wanted. Something must have triggered the writer's block and I just needed to find out what it was. I think the most prominent thought in my head was that nothing I'm writing is good enough. Well, that sucked. I had to find out when I stopped thinking I couldn't write, and why exactly I thought this. Eventually, I realized it started a couple of months ago, when I realized I was writing what I thought people wanted to read, instead of what I wanted to write.

I decided it was time to figure out what I wanted to write. It wasn't clear at first, so I began by writing out words that mattered to me and then turned them into random sentences that crossed my mind.

Even though it took me weeks to work something out, I was able to write a poem. It's not the best thing I've written, but that is beyond the point. Because what matters to me is that I was able to get some words down, and make something out of it. The poem's quite worthy to me because it's a reminder that one or even a thousand periods of not writing, won't steal from me what I have and will always love doing.

I encourage you to do the same. I'm so used to seeking inspiration from the world around me that I sometimes forget, there are a lot of words I want to speak too. Writing this poem was a reminder of what inner Fiza desires. Next time when you think you are unsure of what to write, think about what is fun for you to write. If it's fun for you to write, it's bound to be enjoyable to read.

Here's the poem I wrote:

Spiderwebs

Shimmering threads

Entangle

Around broken

Chandeliers

Between each strand

A gaping

Emptiness

Cries out

Like cracks between

Two eternities

Separating the

Past and future

Clawing at

Lonely hearts

With no

Present

The aging strands

Tell tales

Now

Far gone

Memories like

Dead flies

Stick to the

Webs

A dozen

Eight-legged creatures

Cling to the strands

And to each other

They crawl over

White cloths

Which veil the lives

Once lived

And up the stained walls

Hiding unspoken dreams

Which cascade

Into the emptiness

Somewhere in the distance

Nostalgia weeps

For a place

And people left behind

While the spiders spin

And spin

Continuing to build

Their home.

Now, what if you speak with your inner self and find that they don't have much to share? Well, remember when I said I've also been going on walks? It's not necessarily the walking part that's inspiring me to write a new story. It's listening to my friend's stories. I find that encouraging someone to talk to you is helpful for four reasons: 1) you get to understand them and their life; 2) understanding someone else's perspective will help create realistic characters who differ from each other; 3) their stories can help you consider the 'what-if' and inspire you to write your version of the story; and 4) when going through writer's block, writing your story based on real life events can save you from being stuck for too long.

Did I end up writing anything after listening to my friend? Yes! I wrote a short scene, before deciding it wasn't good enough to base a story off of because I couldn't decide where it was going. But I was so happy to have written something that I didn't care. It wasn't until I read it again a couple of nights later that I realized, I did like what I wrote and I want to continue it. It was fun for me to write, which meant when I was reading it again, I found myself laughing and thinking this would be funny to continue.

If you're wondering what exactly I read that inspired me to continue writing this story, it was this scene:

“Say hi to my Aunt—” she pauses, waving my phone’s flashlight over the tomb, before she continues, “yes, Aunt Mary.”

She’s lying. Right? “Where’d you get a white aunt from?”

“Have we never discussed my multi-colored ancestry?”

“This is not the time.”

“Do you believe in ghosts, dear?” she asks.

With her, I do.

I shake my head. “No… or wait, do we believe in ghosts in Islam? What does this have to do with

your dead aunt?”

“She’s not my aunt.” She chuckles. “But whoever she is, you should respect the dead.”

I can’t respect bones!

And no, this did not happen to me in real life.

Let's summarize what we've learned from this blog post. First thing's first, if you're unable to write, it doesn't mean you'll never be able to write again. The most important thing you can do is believe in yourself. Second, have a chat with yourself (maybe over coffee) and ask what is it that you want and what's stopping you from writing. Third, if the second step doesn't work or it does work, but you still need some inspiration, speak to someone else and learn their stories. Continue repeating these steps, until something finally works out for you.

Note: To my friends who heard about this mysterious story I'm writing, if you read this post, I hope you now understand that the reason I didn't want to share anything about the story was because I had no real plot idea for it, and it started off as a retelling of some crazy stories I've heard and what pleases inner Fiza. I'm still not telling you what this story is about. It might be a comedy, romance, mystery... who knows?

How do you combat writer's block? Please do share your experience with us in the comments below, message us on our Instagram account @dreaming.in.ink or send an email. We'd love to hear from you, whether it's about writer's block, your writing, querying, or anything else you'd like to share!