"We don't label public speaking anxiety as speaking blocks" (113).
I LOVED this part. It made me giggle a little, because Boice is right. Same with phobias about leaving home - we don't call them traveling blocks. It's a little funny how exaggerated it has become (Muses abandoning, wells running dry, etc.) and how the solutions are just as crazy when you compare them to other problems. For example, if you have a fear of leaving the house, you don't just wait until you feel inspired to leave - that will never happen - but for some reason it's been a running idea for writing blocks. It's all very ironic, I guess. Reading this section was quite eye opening in that sense.
I also found the section on self-defeating behaviors interesting. Having just taken a psychology class, we learned a little bit about self-handicapping - some examples I'd like to share are taking on too much and procrastination. Both of which seem to fit into Boice's examples of what writers do - avoidance and laziness. What I find particularly interesting is that these self-defeating behaviors are everyday and normal, which means that when we "block," it's not because some Muse has left us or some other elaborate reason. This seems like it would be obvious, but I've attributed my past lack of inspiration to crazy things, like "I'm not meant to be a writer, I'm meant to be x, y, z."
Anyway, I found this whole section to be interesting and eye opening. Thank you, Boice.
Agreed! Thank you Boice.
ReplyDeleteMaybe when I'm struggling to get out of bed in the morning, it's not laziness, it's just a comfort block.
Or maybe when that jerk in the pickup cuts me off on the way to school, he's just having a politeness block.
When you're eating your snack during the break, maybe you're just suffering from a hunger block.
Lolz. I could go all day.
Seriously though. You make really good points. Maybe the idea of 'magic' in writing carries over into the practice of non-writing as well.
ReplyDeleteThe sooner we demystify ALL the elements of the writing process (including non-writing), the sooner we'll be able to master our own willingness/resistance to it.
Great work Ashley :)
Your first comment provided for a good chuckle. Politeness blocks, I'm going to say that to someone some day...
DeleteThanks Maxwell!
I agreed with you too! Seriously, it is a skill that has to be practiced like everything else. Like in sports, you have to break down everything. Start from the bottom and move your way up! Once you have those elements mastered, put them together and do it!
ReplyDeleteYes, completely! I think about what makes me a stronger writer than, say, my brother. We grew up with the same schooling experience and both had parents who promoted reading and writing. What's the difference? In my own free time, I practiced the skill more than he. I was writing short single spaced one page stories on the computer by sixth grade, and he, well, he was practicing the skill of video games.
DeleteIt does seem to be like exercising, or learning how to play piano - I had BDS for piano where I would practice for 15-30 minutes a day.
I think schools should focus more on teaching writing like a skill - like working your way up as you would with working out or piano or any thing else. Maybe part of the problem is in the way we're being taught the writing process.