The title is a little tongue in cheek perhaps, but here’s a glimpse into how I’m thinking through my own curious lack of writing.

Maybe it’s writer’s block. Maybe it’s being busy. Maybe it’s thinking I can do two things at once. Maybe it’s living through whatever they’ll call this moment of time in history books. Maybe it’s something else entirely.

If you’re a writer with this same tension, I’d love to hear your thoughts on your own writing/not-writing tensions.

Good morning, a rare open schedule day – lots to do, but no timed commitments. And I would like to use this scheduling gift to carve out some writing time.

I do think the lack of longer form writing and the idea development and testing that comes with it is indicative of a problem. I’m just not quite sure what that problem is.

Maybe it’s the state of things at large. Maybe it’s personal. Maybe it’s energy vampires.

Maybe I don’t actually need to know the problem, because I know the solution is writing.

Step 1: Fill paper with words.
Step 2: Turn words into sentences.
Step 3: Turn sentences into paragraphs.
Step 4: Repeat.

Maybe the form needs to change: a blank page instead of my running document, or handwriting instead of typing, or voice to text instead of paper.

Or maybe it’s a question of time: create the time container and cement it into the schedule.

Or maybe it’s a topic question: create a series, or a menu, or freewrite and decide if it goes any further later.

Maybe it’s a commitment question: decide a standard and relish in the freedom of not needing to decide.

Like right now, I’m writing about writing and it feels like that doesn’t count because it isn’t in a form that can be given to anyone else.

It appears some part of me thinks that writing “doesn’t count” unless it’s typed.

I think that comes from believing that the ultimate point of writing is to communicate. And the point of writing for yourself is to communicate with yourself.

But what is the point of only ever communicating with yourself? That leads to being trapped in the echo-chamber of your own self, and I think the echos would eventually be maddening.

Life and communication are interpersonal pursuits.

But coming back to the question at hand.

On a more practical, less philosophical level, I have a number of non-writing projects with very easy on-ramps and very clear next steps, which makes them easy to pick up and move forward. At the moment, I don’t have any writing projects with those qualities.

Writing about whatever grabs your attention may have worked in the past. But it is not working at the moment.

Maybe the project just needs to be: write the next idea on the list unless something better comes up.

Again, if you’re a writer with this same tension or unmoored feeling, I’d love to hear your thoughts on your own writing/not-writing tension.

PS. since writing this out, the spell seems to have broken. I’ve written a few more essays and a few more emails with delight and ease.

So maybe the next time this happens, I just need to write it out.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash