Writer's Block and Alcohol
It is a question of quality.
The notion that alcohol accompanies great writing is only a myth. Many great writers were alcoholics and worse, but they were great writers despite their addictions, not because of them. It is tempting, when faced with a temporary interruption in the flow of creativity (writer's block), to suppose that a little alcohol, a joint or another substance of choice will "loosen up" the ideas or words and get them moving again.
Most assuredly, writers can write while drunk. The problem comes during subsequent sober editing, when the light of reason shines on the crappy writing. It is terribly difficult to edit slop into good poetry or prose. I suspect what happened and still happens is that the drunk writer sobers up, sees the shit, throws it out and writes all over again, more coherently and beautifully.
While it is known by scientists and psychologists that alcohol and other addictive chemicals can loosen inhibitions (and language), research has also proven that the quality of the writing produced during intoxication drops dramatically as does the quality of any other performance.
At one time I decided I wanted to do some serious drinking for a while. I wondered what kind of writing I might create under drunk circumstances, so I tried a little experiment. The first part was easy: drink a bottle of wine. The second part was also a snap: sit at the keyboard and produce a masterpiece. When I sobered up a day or so later, I studied what I had written and found it made no sense! I vowed to never again try to write a serious piece while under the influence. One time I slipped up and sent a long email message to someone and, as a consequence, lost a long-time friend.
If your font of creativity is dammed up (or just damned) don't try altered consciousness as a method to explode the blockage. Many other less self-damaging devices are available. I'm not saying don't drink at all, just don't make the mistake of thinking it helps you write or fool yourself into thinking you've produced your best work while inebriated. You can do better than that!
The notion that alcohol accompanies great writing is only a myth. Many great writers were alcoholics and worse, but they were great writers despite their addictions, not because of them. It is tempting, when faced with a temporary interruption in the flow of creativity (writer's block), to suppose that a little alcohol, a joint or another substance of choice will "loosen up" the ideas or words and get them moving again.Most assuredly, writers can write while drunk. The problem comes during subsequent sober editing, when the light of reason shines on the crappy writing. It is terribly difficult to edit slop into good poetry or prose. I suspect what happened and still happens is that the drunk writer sobers up, sees the shit, throws it out and writes all over again, more coherently and beautifully.
While it is known by scientists and psychologists that alcohol and other addictive chemicals can loosen inhibitions (and language), research has also proven that the quality of the writing produced during intoxication drops dramatically as does the quality of any other performance.
At one time I decided I wanted to do some serious drinking for a while. I wondered what kind of writing I might create under drunk circumstances, so I tried a little experiment. The first part was easy: drink a bottle of wine. The second part was also a snap: sit at the keyboard and produce a masterpiece. When I sobered up a day or so later, I studied what I had written and found it made no sense! I vowed to never again try to write a serious piece while under the influence. One time I slipped up and sent a long email message to someone and, as a consequence, lost a long-time friend.
If your font of creativity is dammed up (or just damned) don't try altered consciousness as a method to explode the blockage. Many other less self-damaging devices are available. I'm not saying don't drink at all, just don't make the mistake of thinking it helps you write or fool yourself into thinking you've produced your best work while inebriated. You can do better than that!
Labels: writer's block
posted by Georganna Hancock M.S. | 8:11 AM
9 Comments:
I was drinking while I read this ...
Just kidding, but I very well could have been! I do my writing after my day job, and my head's so scattered and distracted that I loves me a beverage. It relaxes me, shifts my gears and gets me ready to go. The only problem I see with this is when I quit my job and go freelance full-time. A beverage at 8 a.m is not so cute.
Ayeah, beer for breakfast! Does nothing for productivity.
Disassociating alcohol with starting to write will be a matter of substituting a new habit for the old one of drinking. Like drinking coffee instead. I start the day with Bigelow's Vanilla Hazelnut tea (TMI provided in case anyone wants to bribe me).
Thanks for stopping by, Erin, and for taking the time to comment.
I thought I was the only one to try that little experiment. I would drink and try to write but end up falling asleep before the second sentence was typed. Yeh, I'm a lightweight.
Two beers, maybe 2.5 glasses of wine, or 2 mixed drink is my limit :)
I also fall asleep.
I used to have a drinking problem ... not funny. BUT, I used to write while drinking and the Mrs. SAVED these scribbles.
We read them one night.
FUNNY (because they were sooo bad!!)
Sober for half a decade :-)
Hmm, we seem to have hit a common nerve here.
Speedcat: keep comin' back!
Wish you not continued your experiment. Chinese proverb says : Healthy is the biggest wealth
OK! 8~)
Not to worry. I quit the experiment. I couldn't have lost over 50 pounds in the last year or so if I drank alcohol (or ingested anything resembling food and containing calories).
Except for chocolate, of course, the stuff of life, for writers and most women.
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