by Will Baker
Sometimes, writer’s block is a brick wall constructed of gray fuzzy thoughts held together by mortar formed from countless blank stares. A writer stands before the wall, sensing that just beyond, a field growing countless gleaming new ideas awaits. They can almost feel the breeze that twists through the field, and sense the seeds of ideas about to blossom from the ground. But they can’t see it. Not yet. Because between them and the field is a stubborn, unyielding brick wall of writer’s block. Of course, it's possible to get through the wall. With enough time and hard work, a writer could climb it. Unfortunately, the wall is well-made, and difficult to climb up, especially with limited time. If a writer is lucky, sometimes the lightest tap will cause the wall to collapse. However, most writers are forced to take the longer route - tapping away at the wall with the chisel of imagination and reinvention, one piece at a time.
There are times when instead of taking the form of a wall, writer’s block lies in wait. A silent assailant leaping down unexpectedly. The unwanted package that sits on the porch when a writer opens the door. An uninvited guest at the party. Writer’s block can strike at any moment, unannounced, even in the middle of a sentence.
And sometimes, writer’s block is simply stupid. An incredibly heavy block of dense wood sitting on a desk, preventing a writer from getting any work done. Oh, it takes this form on purpose, of course. It finds it amusing. A writer’s BLOCK. Truly, it must be the cleverest thing since sliced bread. But of course, writer’s block isn’t original. At one point or another, every writer’s block has the idea of appearing in this way. And every time, it fails to be amusing. Some writers view this wooden block as a gift rather than an obstacle. With the right tools, a writer can carve the block into a beautiful work of art using their creativity and intelligence. Sometimes, all it takes is the power of clever word choice to shape these sculptures, as the wood peels away with each word. Turning the writer’s block itself into thoughtfully crafted writing - yes, now that is amusing, unlike a block of wood on a desk - which is, needless to say, a very boring idea. Just like any other form that writer’s block will think to take…