The Gift of Writer’s Block

Writer’s Block is your Inner Author’s way of getting your attention. When my clients tell me they are stuck with their writing, I get really excited because I know the next section they write is going to be particularly powerful and transformative.

When you have something more important to say than what you think you SHOULD be writing, your inner author will stop the game until you get to the good stuff.

This is a gift. (And yes, I know it doesn’t always feel that way.)

For the past 2 weeks I’ve been totally blocked as a writer and part of me has wanted to resist that and write through it, but my inner author is having none of it.

I went to an amazing conference in Portland and had a gajillion ideas of topics to write about that would help authors-in-transformation write their books. Now when I look back at my notes and try to turn them into a blog post…. Nothing!

I am directing and producing a musical and I’ve had the opportunity to deeply collaborate with someone who is much more creative and less linear with his thoughts than I. This has given me tremendous insights about my clients and the collaboration process between artists and engineers. But when I try to write about those lessons…. Bupkis!

My boyfriend is about to turn 40 and I just pulled off one of the most elaborate and epic surprises of all time. We told him he was going to an art show for one of our friends and when he arrived, despite the room being filled with his friends and family yelling “Surprise” it still took him quite some time to realize this was a surprise birthday party for him. After all, his birthday was still 3 weeks away and how was he to know if everyone who came to the art show didn’t get the same loud greeting he got. Maybe we’d be yelling surprise to the next people who walked in. It’s a great story of how we can miss the most obvious signs because we are telling ourselves – and believing – another story. But I haven’t been able to write about that either! And it seemed so obvious at the time.

My inner author has another gig going. She’s got something important to say and she’s asking me to kindly take a step back and create space for her message to surface.

As an author – that’s really your only job – at least it’s the only job that counts.

Many of my clients and authors I talk to think all that matters is page count. Page count is important, it’s true. But pages comes so much faster when you learn the tools and techniques to listen to your inner author and create space for that voice to grow and strengthen.

Writer’s Block is a clear message to shut the heck up and listen… journal, walk, set intentions, meditate, create the path… greet writer’s block when it comes with open arms. It’s a sign of magic in the offing… capture it and fly!