Losing Steam

Leigh M Lane · Post by **Leigh M Lane** » 06 Sep 2016, 09:45

I'm really at a loss on this, and hopefully someone here can help. I'll just begin by saying I'm in mourning, and it has affected my ability to write. People scoff at the talk of writer's block and such, but this block is very real. I've written twenty novels; I understand the perceived and real limitations that come with "writer's block." I want to write. I have 20K of the second book in a really fun series just sitting there, waiting for me. I've sat down many times to write a story I've been thinking about since Kadie's death a month and a half ago, one I think would be cathartic, but I've barely gotten a paragraph.

Has anyone else here survived grief-induced writer's block? "Just sit down and write" or the like is not helpful. Been trying that, and it's been maddening. I suffer when I don't write for long spans, but I'm suffering so much more than that right now. Where do I draw from to get past this rut? Any ideas at all?

Rebeccaej · Post by **Rebeccaej** » 06 Sep 2016, 10:07

Not grief-induced, but trauma-induced. I had a burst of trauma symptoms a few years ago that came through mostly as a compulsion to write about very dark subjects. At the end, I was mentally exhausted and had no desire to go back.

I handled it by just giving myself time to heal, and not writing for a while.

When I got back into it, I started with safe, emotionally neutral topics, and worked my way back into the heavier stuff.

Catharsis is great, but it's also tiring. It might be a good idea to get out of your own head for a while and get some distance.

gali · Post by **gali** » 06 Sep 2016, 10:13

I am sorry to hear about your loss. My condolences.

As was suggested above, give yourself time to heal.

12els30 · Post by **12els30** » 06 Sep 2016, 12:00

In middle school I went through a lot. 6th grade my mom and dad got a divorce and I buried myself in my writing. 7th grade I went through a bunch of health issues and the depression was so great I couldn't bring myself to even touch a pen or paper. I had so many fears running through me, overwhelming me. A lot of the time I was lucky if I had the energy to get out of bed let alone put a story to paper. I ended up getting 2 surgeries in the course of 3 months time. It took quite awhile to recover from that emotionally enough to begin writing again. In fact, I didn't begin really being able to get absorbed by my projects again until 11th grade. And once I had, a lot of the past was incorporated and melded with that project. In that way, my unresolved feelings were set loose and my manuscript was made into something better than I ever could have hoped. To be honest, I agree with those writers above. You need to give yourself the time to heal from all of the grief and trauma. At the same time don't feel guilty for it or beat yourself up over it. Every writer goes through times and moments where writing is impossible for them to do, regardless of how seasoned you are. Allowing yourself to go through what you need to will not only help yourself but it will grow your writing to places you couldn't have dreamt of beforehand. Also, I hope you don't mind if I pray for you. I sincerely hope that you find whatever you need to find in order to heal. It's the hardest thing in the world being a writer and then being unable to write.