Does writer’s block exist?
Prolific writer and marketing guru Seth Godin doesn’t think so. And I agree with him.
On a recent episode of The Moment with Brian Koppelman, Seth explained why he doesn’t believe in Writer’s Block (the quote is from around 19:45):
Writer’s block is merely the combination of two things: one, bad habits someone else who is not on the journey is going say to you. When those two things combine in your head, it’s easier to be paralyzed – it’s easier to do nothing.
Or, in other words, writer’s block is an excuse we’ve invented to explain why we’re not writing. Ultimately, it comes down to fear.
Later, in the discussion, Seth and podcast host Brian Koppelman (a writer, producer, and generally creative guy) have an intellectual argument about whether writer’s block really exists. Is it just a pressure of not manifesting this thing we want to create? Is it a feeling of letting ourselves down? And how do we barrel through and get to the other side? Is being a stuck writer better than someone who writes something they aren’t proud of? And how do we get through our insecurities and create while battling our insecurities?
If you have an hour, this episode is filled with gems from experienced writers who know how to create worthwhile and successful art. I’ve embedded it below, but you can listen to the entire episode on Stitcher.
Here’s the entire episode description:
Back for his third appearance on the show, New York Times best-selling author and entrepreneur Seth Godin joins Brian this week to talk about his upcoming book, What Does It Sound Like When You Change Your Mind? (3:00). You can preorder Seth’s book by clicking here. To start things off, Seth and Brian discuss the concept of “certainty” in creation (11:00), whether writer’s block really exists (20:00), and why Seth used to ask the question “How many gas stations are there in the United States?” when interviewing potential employees (36:00). The two also reflect on different artists and how they approached their work (40:00) and why fear is a signal that you’re doing something right (54:00).
Source: The Moment with Brian Koppelman on Stitcher, Slate, or iTunes
Photo by Bjorn Amundsen via Slate