The Scourge of Every Writer… Isn’t It?
Ah, the blank page.
We all know it. We all, at one point or another, hated it (or politely wished it would go away).
Unfortunately, it’s not going away forever any time soon.
We all have to face it, eventually.
But I get it. It can seem like a struggle.
I used to dread it as much as the next writer. And it’s one “struggle” that every writer has to face at some point. Beginner and seasoned pro alike. If you’re a fiction writer, this is also the case whether you consider yourself a plotter, pantser, or a bit of both.
You’re all pumped up to do some writing. You’re ready to jot things down for your outline (if you’re a plotter) or you’re ready to meet your characters and story world (if you’re a pantser/discovery writer). Or you’re ready to just jot down your thoughts for your latest script, book, blog post, or any other creation. Whatever it is.
Yes! Let’s do this!
You open up word, scrivener, or any other writing app of your choice.
(Or pull out a blank sheet of paper for those that are more “traditional”) 😉
You bring all that excitement and curiosity with you.
And then it hits you like a ton of bricks.
The blank page.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be a struggle.
It may not be easy at first, but you can learn to love it.
Happened to me fairly recently, actually. Seemingly out of nowhere, it dawned on me.
That I actually love the blank page. Not an entirely new concept, but one that I had to remind myself of.
A Love of the Blank Page
Why love the blank page? Isn’t it something scary or bad? Aren’t we supposed to “destroy” it?
Sure, it can be scary. It can definitely annoy, that’s for sure. This is especially true when you end up staring at it for hours on end… and nothing comes.
That’s ok.
Because you did something incredibly useful and powerful. You made time for it. That’s what matters, especially when you’re just starting out.
A bit “woo-woo”?
Maybe. But it’s true.
How?
You may just have to look deep inside yourself.
I know I had to think back to my childhood. Back then, there were moments when the world seemed like an endless playground.
(An introverted playground where only my toys, books, video games, and many imaginary characters were the only ones allowed in, lol)
What I’m getting at is that you have to remember how much fun it was to play. To be a kid.
(If you still consider yourself a kid or young at heart… good. It might be easier for you. So, bring that energy with you).
And when I say energy, I don’t necessarily mean it physically. You know, that stuff that will have you bouncing off the walls. I simply mean your internal play energy.
Bring all that playful childhood energy with you. As best you can.
Then look at that blank page with a smile.
It’s time to play.
Remind yourself of it.
Enjoy it. Treasure it. Love it.
Think and Feel the Possibilities
There’s a pretty good chance that you looked at the world with playful energy too at one point.
(If you haven’t, I’m sorry. But this post and probably most of what I have written or will write won’t be for you).
Similar to how a painter or artist loves going to the blank canvas. The blank page can be a beautiful starting point. A starting point of endless possibilities.
Reframe Your Thinking and Go Play
Nowadays, all I have to do is simply reframe my thinking.
I stopped thinking of it as a big scary blank page bullying me around, stopping me from putting forth my latest creation. Instead, I started looking at it as a partner. One who is ready to take on and bring forth whatever I have for it.
We’re just… “playing” together.
Doesn’t matter whether it’s today, tomorrow, next week, next month, or any other time I decide to create.
You can do the same.
Reframe your thinking. Take the blank page on as a partner, not an enemy. Get to playing.
It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that.
Even if you don’t love it now, that doesn’t mean you can’t love it later on. Just remember, it loves you. It so loves you. It loves to be there whether you’re just getting started or whether you’ve met thousands of its family members.
Like a good relationship, all it takes is love. True genuine love. It’ll make all the difference.
So, the next time you sit down to face your supposed enemy, shift into play mode. Try to love it. It may just love you back in ways you could only imagine.
Jeff Aybar is a writer, Sci-Fi/Fantasy nerd, INFJ, veteran, and all-around creative. You can get a free copy of his guide for writers and other creatives on starting the creative journey by signing up to his newsletter HERE.