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When the block is the story: Editor's Notes #307
February 19, 2020
Hello,

…if you do not plunder the past, the absence feeds on you.
—Michael Ondaatje


In this issue:

1. When the block is the story
2. Tickled my funny bone
3. Interesting Web site
4. Writing prompt

1. When the block is the story
Writer’s block is anything internal that keeps you from writing. Some writers fear it more than anything else because it seems so debilitating. Take heart. Writer’s block may be an engine to pull a story over the finish line or launch you in a completely new direction.

If writer’s block lasts for more than a day or two, set aside some time to investigate what is at the bottom of the problem. The place to look is inside your heart and mind.

Set aside whatever writing project that seems to be the problem. Do you have unhealed trauma? Are you facing a troubling situation that makes you feel you have lost control? Is something worrying you? These blocks hold emotional power. Time you spend investigating these blocks are an excellent investment for a writer.

Scrutinize these root issues in any way that works for you. You can talk with a friend or counsellor, or you can deal with the problem through writing. If you are familiar with writing webs, construct one. Alternatively, you can write a flow of consciousness about the issue that holds you back. The point is to use writing to find a way through the problem.

It may be enough to clear your mind so you can go back to your original writing project, or you may have developed something worth sharing with others. If this is the case, consider setting aside your current project, and pour your emotional power into a new writing project related to whatever was holding you back. Alternatively, you may find that there is a way to weave your new understanding into the project you are already writing about.

Even if the cause of the writing block does not become the story, understanding the block better and tending to your emotional life is likely to release you to write more freely.

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2.Tickled my funny bone
It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere.

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3. Interesting Web site
Here are some ways to approach flow of consciousness writing.
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-Stream-Of-Consciousness/

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4. Writing prompt
Start with I wish I could…

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