Writer’s Block or Professionalism?

"There’s no such thing as writer’s block. You’re either a professional or you’re not."

Stuart Kaminsky, a legend in the mystery novel genre, said this in a class during Owensboro, Ky.’s Mystery Writers’ Festival this summer. His workshop dealt with crafting a screenplay for Hollywood.

Though that’s one of the last things on my writing agenda, this quote stuck with me for months.

As a writer for the ad department of a newspaper, I recognize the value of his quote. Writing on a deadline and writing to please an audience inadvertently manipulate an article. As I write an advertorial, I know I have to fluff up the advertiser and finish the article by my deadline. When I first started my job, my articles suffered from this.

Mastering the ability to sit and write no matter the circumstances is difficult. Our daily lives directly interfere with our writing. Whether relationship, money or work is stressing us, it will bleed into our words if we don’t manage them closely.

That’s where Kaminsky’s quote carries weight for me. When I slink into my chair at my cubicle, I have to click into writing mode, shut off my emotions and feel the story. This is easiest when I have just returned from an interview or finished researching. But returning from lunch, or starting first thing in the morning is difficult.

To click into that mode, focus and absorb the atmosphere of the story. Educate yourself as much as possible on the subject. Even if you’re just writing fiction — the story won’t be credible if you don’t know what you’re writing about.

If you sit around waiting for a muse, you’ll most likely lose track. Your story will gather dust and you’ll move on.

If you seriously cannot think of the next word to write, surround yourself in material related to the subject matter. If that doesn’t help, shut your eyes, open the dictionary or a book or newspaper and point to a word. That may not be the next word, but force yourself to work with it and it may help usher you through the piece.

When writing on deadline, time management and professionalism are equally essential. The first will help you finish on time. The latter will help you finish with quality material.