Most writers (and books on writing) stress the importance of setting a schedule to write, to be creative, since writing is in fact a career. But, what do you do when you sit in front of a blank computer screen and there are no words to write?
I am a writer who does not follow a schedule. I know when I am more apt to be productive and when it would just be a waste of time to even try. My creativity ebbs and flows depending upon the time of day. So, why should I try to force myself to be creative? Writers out there may disagree, but a schedule, to me, seems to defeat the purpose. Of course, their retort is that it trains the mind to be creative.
I write because I love to write, I am obsessed with writing as an outlet for creativity and personal expression. Why would I want to sit and stare at a blank screen and feel that awful doubt creeping in: am I really good enough, is my work really worth it?
Forcing yourself to write may be a cause of writer's block. I personally don't believe in writer's block, so to speak. I do feel a sense of sadness when I complete a work. And, I need time to step back, relax, and recharge, before I can write again. Is that writer's block? I say no. As with any artistic endeavour, one cannot be creative all the time.
When "writer's block" hits, maybe it is just your creative mind telling you it's time to take a break. I could not imagine writing every day at the same time and expecting my work to be the best all the time. Writing should not be forced, it should flow onto the page from that well deep within the writer's mind, that creative spark that first turned you into a writer in the first place.
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