Written Words of Wisdom

I was mucking around on the computer earlier today when I came across writing advice from one of my favourite authors, Douglas Preston (he co-writes the Pendergast novels with Lincoln Child). Before I share Preston's words of wisdom, I'd like to share a few words of my own.

The big problem that people who work with words encounter is writer's block. Most people envision writer's block as a brick wall. Knocking down that wall can be difficult, as anyone who writes could tell you. I, however, choose not to let writer's block get to me.

If you're familiar with the movie The Matrix, this reference will make perfect sense to you. Recall, if you will, the scene where Neo goes to visit the Oracle for the first time. While he's waiting to see her, he speaks to a child who's bending spoons. The child proceeds to say that bending spoons is impossible, but the reason why he's able to make them bend is because there is no spoon. That's what I do to writer's block. I tell myself that there is no spoon, my way of saying that the wall doesn't exist. The brick wall exists simply because we put it there.

When I feel that spoon not wanting to bend, I stop what I'm writing. I'll take a walk, go for a bike ride, grab a shower, anything that can let my mind be free. As soon as I let my thoughts go, the ideas and solutions come flooding in. Suddenly, I'm bending the non-existent spoon.

So that's my written word of wisdom (along with always carry a note pad and pen, because you never know when inspiration may hit). Now that mine's out of the way, follow the link to see what Douglas Preston had to say:

http://www.writingclasses.com/WritersResources/AuthorAdviceDetail.php/author_id/223169

Happy writing!