A support and resource group for artists and writers, whether you're a pro, a part-timer, or just starting out.
Artistic Blocks ARE Real
I know a few people who claim they never have artistic blocks, and they're a bit smug about that aren't they? "Just do it!" they say. "No excuses! Just sit down and [hit your word count / finish inking a page / do fifty figure drawing exercises]; not doing the work is just laziness."
And, I mean, do get it. Sometimes what I really need is a tough love kick in the pants. I'm procrastinating. I want to skip over the boring parts simply because they're boring.
But honestly? Most of the time, for me anyway, that's not it.
I've just recently begun recovering after a diagnosis and treatment of a sleep disorder called idiopathic narcolepsy. It's just like regular narcolepsy (that is, sleeping 12-20 hours a day, rare spontaneous "paralysis" when sitting still for too long [this is called cataplexy], and constant tiredness while awake) except it's harder to spot because it doesn't necessarily show up on brain scans in the same patterns.
And, here's the thing: forcing myself to sit and write for an hour while having untreated narcolepsy was awful. I might write 300 words, or not even that. My mind felt slow. I would literally burst into tears for not being able to follow the "easy" advice; I thought I would never be able to finish any project every again--everything seemed overwhelming, and any task could only be chipped away at an excruciating pace. And then I'd give up and "waste" time by watching tv or something, and then kick myself for it.
I've been on treatment for about two weeks now, and the difference, pardon my pun, is night and day. I'm alert, and because I'm alert, suddenly everything I'm writing is clicking together. Two hours of writing is now 2100 words, not 200. I can write a scene and keep track of the overall plot, and when I'm done, I can get up and do other work. And! I still have time to watch tv.
I guess what I'm saying is, maybe you've got something, a mental illness or a chronic illness, maybe even something that hasn't been diagnosed yet. Maybe environmental stress. Maybe "just do it" seems impossibly hard right now and you don't know why, and you're blaming yourself.
I'm saying: don't be so hard on yourself. Be kind to you, like you would be kind to your friend, or your child, if they were struggling. I have narcolepsy, but I made it so much worse on myself by judging myself as "lazy".
Here's the thing. One of my favorite writers, horror author Joe Hill, QUIT writing for FIVE YEARS. He didn't write a single word. And, worse than that, when he quit, he didn't intend to ever come back. He did this because he has obsessive compulsive disorder, and managing it had become exhausting. He decided to prioritize self-care and taking care of his son, even to the point of giving up his dream of being a writer, because while art making is always going to be challenging, making your art should not feel like torture. That myth is weird and weirdly romanticized and it is, if I may be blunt, fucked up.
If your art-making is making your feel awful, like more awful than just normal work or chores, I want you to think about some things I wish I had told myself. You're allowed to take a break. You're allowed to walk away forever if you want to. You don't have to define yourself as an artist; define yourself as you, a person who does art, incidentally, and also one who takes care of your cat, blasts music when doing dishes, knows how to make your sister laugh on a bad day, and is reliable with the paperwork.
To be a writer, you have to write things and finish things. But no one says you have to be a writer. Or be a writer right now. Or be the kind of writer who writes a novel every year. All the pressure is in your own head.
What do you guys think?




This is great advice, incorporating bot the need to write, but also that sometimes there are things that exist that will just prevent us from doing so. I've come around to accepting that there are days when I won't be able to sit down and pump words out. I've talked myself into thinking that living is part of writing, and accumulating experiences, being mindful, interacting with the world, all that is part of writing and artistic process. Thanks for sharing your experience, as it enriches my own understanding.
also, thanks for sharing that bit on Joe Hill. I am a big fan too! (I taught Heart-Shaped Box as a core text in a genre writing class, and I'm crazy about Locke and Key) Didn't know that about him. That makes me appreciate the work even more. thanks!
You're welcome!