I keep asking myself this because the phrase, on a completely personal level, is an excuse. Just an excuse not to get the work done, plain and simple.
I recently read Nail Your Novel by Roz Morris and one of the things she says sticks with me. Writer’s block isn’t necessarily an inability to write, or locate the muse, but the product of other problems that hinder writing; poor planning. Losing the plot (*snerk*). Doubt about characters or story arc. This way of thinking implies that writer’s block is something that can be managed and avoided by taking pre-emptive measures.
I’m not sure I believe exactly that – novel writing is a creative activity, after all, and creativity can’t be forced – but I do feel that there is more to the problem, for me, which goes beyond an absence of the muse.
In my case, my head is so filled with a running total of nappies, sleeping patterns, the location of various bits of clothing, toys and important documents, that there is very little space left for creative writing. When I do get space, there are a dozen other things that I could be doing instead; washing up, vacuuming, sleeping (!!!), playing games, reading comics, reading other fiction…. Wshen I get passed all those things (by deciding to ignore them) and actually sit at the desk top, I’m hit by the final problem; I’m just too bloody tired!
So where does that leave me? Blocked?
In a manner.
In my case, writer’s block comes as a result of having too much to do, too little time and not enough sleep. Its not that my muse isn’t with me; I keep her chained to my side with adamantium locks and feed her well with scraps of chocolate. She isn’t going anywhere! In fact, twice in the past three weeks, I’ve woken up with an idea in the middle of the night and had to whisper it into my phone so I didn’t lose it (or wake the babies). No, my writer’s block is simply life.
Makes me wonder how I’m going to deal with that and avoid having life giving me a mega bitch-slap for trying to best it.
What about you guys? How do you define writer’s block? What are your tricks for dealing with it? Do you believe it exists at all?!

























Bonus Blog: Celebrating Milestones Take 2!
Yep, its that time again! ^_^
Because you’re all so lovely and spend the time popping over here to read my words, WordPress has seen fit to give me two ‘awards.’


They aren’t really awards, not in the strictest sense, but they are milestones, that I can’t help but flag up here, because its all down to you guys!
Woohoo! That’s all things you guys have done, following, liking and interacting with me three times a week! And I know for a fact that that can be really hard for you; we’re all busy people. So once more, thank you all very much for sticking with me.
It means more than you’ll ever know.
Tell your friends: