| An inability to write, or writer's block, is "writer's | | | | A final prerequisite for creative work is time. You |
| block - an inability to write; 'he had writer's block; | | | | must schedule creative expression, including time |
| the words wouldn't come.'"1 Put otherwise, | | | | for inspiration development, the way you would |
| "writ·er's block - A usually temporary | | | | any essential activity. |
| psychological inability to begin or continue work on | | | | So, if you have a place to create, you have the |
| a piece of writing."2 | | | | tools and training required to do so, and you have |
| In contrast, "Flow" is a general state described in | | | | the time, and you still are not creating... then you |
| Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's book Flow: The | | | | likely have a creative block. |
| Psychology of Optimal Experience. He defines flow | | | | Procrastination is the single dominant behavior of |
| as "the state in which people are so involved in an | | | | the blocked artist. |
| activity that nothing else seems to matter; the | | | | Whatever the block, procrastination is the |
| experience is so enjoyable ... that people will do it | | | | expression. Procrastination may take the form of |
| ... for the sheer sake of doing it." There is | | | | obsessive e-mail checking, cleaning, endless |
| tremendous power for any creative, especially | | | | research, wasted hours in Social Networking, and |
| writers, in learning how to manage their writing | | | | many other endeavors. Some creatives overeat, |
| process and access word flow. | | | | drink or party excessively, take class after class, |
| There are certain prerequisites for creative | | | | or occupy themselves with other busy work, all |
| expression, including writing, that have nothing to | | | | to successfully avoid creating. |
| do with creative blocks. It is essential that you | | | | Recognizing the problem is a huge part of the |
| have a place prepared to express yourself. It is | | | | issue. If you have what you need to create, and |
| ideal if this space is dedicated to your creativity, | | | | aren't creating, there are a number of tools |
| so that the tools you need, and projects in | | | | available to assist you in breaking through writer's |
| progress, can occupy the space. It has never | | | | block or any other creative block. |
| worked for me, or any other creative I have | | | | If your writer's block is serious, and you are |
| known, to attempt to write or paint regularly | | | | committed to doing WEIT ("What ever it takes," |
| without a dedicated creative space. | | | | ~Tony Robbins) to break through, you can get |
| Another creative prerequisite is the proper tools | | | | professional coaching through a trained, certified |
| for creativity. As a writer, or screenwriter, you | | | | professional. You can also find a number of |
| require some combination of pens/pencils, paper, | | | | fantastic products, audio, book and otherwise, |
| typewriter, computer, software and other | | | | online. |
| implements. Also, you may require books and | | | | To your Word Flow! |
| magazines for inspiration as well as technical | | | | References: |
| guidance. Not knowing how to stretch a canvas or | | | | 1. |
| properly format a screenplay are not creative | | | | 2. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the |
| blocks. They are ignorance of essential creative | | | | English Language, Fourth Edition copyright |
| technical skills. | | | | ©2000 by the Houghton Mifflin Company. |
| Every artist must gain training, whether | | | | Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin |
| self-taught, through coursework, workshops, | | | | Company. All rights reserved. |
| lectures, classes, books and media, or otherwise. | | | | |
