Overwhelming Writer's Block

New novelists often feel the weight of "too much" early in their creative process. Nonfiction writers can fall prey to the confusion and paralysis of preparing large projects or working with complicated topics. When writing about a new nuclear plant under construction, I had difficulty deciding where to begin. Environmental issues? Power needs? Impact on rural employment? So many handles popped up that organization and selection of what to include were problems for me.

Eventually I realized that everything was not of equal importance. That seems to be the difficulty when we build up an overwhelming writer's block. A quick conference with an editor can help determine which way to slant a story or what to emphasize, what to leave out. Good short story writers already know how to select just the salient points to move their creations along and provide a satisfying structure and solutions. I learned to prioritize the elements of a large project, especially when working on my own. As the rappers say, "break it down."

Sometimes it takes talking with another to help you gain perspective on a creative project that appears to loom over you with menace. The other person can be a fellow writer, mentor, editor, teacher or even a trusted friend. This is where participating in a community of writers can play a supporting role in building your career. Someone else may have already faced your overwhelming block and have a solution at hand. You can knock it down with allied forces, too.