As a writer, I deal in things that are literally up there. I have a vague idea for the book I’m working on but sometimes that vision gets lost. It’s something called the writers’ block and yes, like Seth Godin, I like to think it doesn’t happen to professionals but the problem is that I don’t yet qualify myself as a professional. I haven’t published a book, you see.
I came down with a severe case after my U.S. trip this past April where I absorbed three days of Story concepts with Robert McKee, the screenwriting guru. Of course, the instruction was excellent and delivered with clarity, anecdotes, humour and a liberal sprinkling of controversial views that I can easily say that those three days were the most immersive and engaging instruction I ever received in my entire life thus far.
When I came home, armed with examples from the classics on what works, and how to construct some solid shit, I sat down at my laptop and I was scared shitless.
In my thinking busy mind, there was no way I could compete with the timeless classics, so why even try? Of course, as a writer you are told that you’ll write garbage and you have to tolerate the rubbish to find the treasure within it but my inner analyst had become too loud echoing Robert Mckee’s words “thou shalt not make life easy for your protagonist”… Damnit, my protagonist is a privileged North Shore mum who wants to be a writer and she doesn’t even have to get a job because her partner earns enough.
Who the fuck cares if she writes a book or not?
Writers’ block essentially is intellectual constipation. There are throughts knocking up in there but you just can’t squeeze them out onto the medium of choice. It is painful, your mind gets bloated and brain farts become the norm.
I needed to get back into good creative flow as Julia Cameron, of The Artist’s Way would say. Robert McKee should team up with her to help new writers maintain their creative flow while also learning about structure and making writing work. Otherwise, the analytical among the newbies can succumb to overthinking about structure to just let the writing come out as it wants to.
The remedy for my writers’ block, I knew, was in a far away land, Mona Vale, where The Gentle Dragon, the energy healing space resides and breathes its gentle fire onto those in need of a spark to continue to uncover their unique path with the shine of their hearts to light the way.
How did I know this? I’d worked with one of their healers before, who makes some magical potions to help people overcome obstacles to once again feel positive emotions like faith, fortitude, hope, honesty, etc…Also, I’d been super intrigued by the name of the space and how it came about, their story of origin, which I can’t find online. I wanted to experience the place myself to gain an understanding of this mystical creature.
It was a large space as dragons are with a picture of a huge dragon over the glass paneling. I was expecting it to be a tiny little shop, but nope. It was a big dragon that looked a little intimidating, like a corporate space from the outside.
Inside was all gentleness though. The atmosphere was very relaxing.
Zoe, of Heart2Shine was there to greet me and I knew exactly what I wanted. She has some elixirs made up from flowers, which capture their energy. Don’t ask me how but they work for me. If you’re skeptical, let’s just say it’s mind over matter or placebo but nonetheless the effect is that I’m now back in creative flow with an elixir called Inspirit. And because the creative spark has returned, here I am 6:25Am on a Sunday morning at my desk with my candles lit up, writing this blog post.
Thank you Zoe. I dedicate today’s writing to you.
