Writing for Odyssey means having to write a new article every week. Although, with the abundance of exams, extracurricular activities and "life" things that get in the way, it gets exponentially harder to find ideas to write about as time goes on. Not to mention the fact that I have written about almost everything there is to write about, at least, things that won't offend anyone. But, the truth is, writer's block is a perpetual sensation for me and several other creators of content, and it is the sole thing that drives us mad.
In its purest form, writer's block is the inability to come up with something to create. A lot of times it's the inability to articulate an idea to its full extent. You may have a plethora of ideas, yet once you attempt to manifest them into physical existence, all becomes…lost, for lack of a better word. It's as if a hundred images, words, and ideas are all running through your head at Mach speed but they're too fast to catch, pinpoint, and consequently synthesize. And oh my god, is it irritating. Truly one of the most annoying feelings, especially when you have a deadline.
But, there is a comfort in knowing that writer's block does not discriminate. Best-selling authors, artists, musicians, and C average students alike all know the agonizing feeling of the unknown. In this case, not knowing what to say or even how to feel. You try and try again to generate even just a sliver of an idea, but still nothing.
Writer's block is one of the pestering things that can keep me up at night. Sometimes it occupies my mind completely. In between classes, while I'm working out, and even when I go to bed at night I will try and find something, anything at all, to write about. I scower the depths of my mind and consciousness for inspiration yet it seems like when I try my hardest, ideas hardly ever come to me.
In most cases, I prefer to totally step back. I have to completely step away from a project to gather any sort of inspiration. Other people have to completely embellish themselves in the project they are focusing on to further their progress. The way I see it though is that stepping back helps you see the bigger picture. You're able to draw inspiration from the whole, rather than a single piece of the puzzle.
As I write this, I am even having trouble coming up with the right words to say. Often times I feel as though writing is a sort of formula, and to some extent, it is. You have to come up with the ideas, analyze them, synthesize them, and piece them together in the right order. But, if you're hopeless at math like I am, then this process is just as challenging. But you still try, and sometimes, you'll settle for anything instead of nothing. Even if it's not as immaculate as you initially imagined it would be.
There are several remedies to this hopeless disease, and some work better than others. But at the end of the day, writer's block is something you simply have to work through. As challenging and frustrating as it is, it's unfortunately not something you can run from. Because the thing about it is the fact that it unforgivingly follows you everywhere you go. The best way to challenge it is to tackle it head on, just as unforgiving. The eureka moment you get when you finally find the right words or ideas is arguably worth the struggle too. It's something we all go through, but if it wasn't challenging, we wouldn't learn from it. And truthfully, what you learn from that struggle is worth more than the struggle itself.
