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It is a difficult life for those who live by the muse. Be it for an artist or a writer, the creative muse is whimsical, volatile. It takes a while to tame her, and just when you thought you have her captive you realize she is gone. I have seen many a blog post rambling about writer’s block and shaken my head in absolute empathy.

But I wonder if the masters who produced art so copiously like Da Vinci or Shakespeare spent much time twisting their hands into knots, not being able to put their vision into words or images, or perhaps had lost their creative vision altogether.

This blocked muse seems to affect saints as well….here are Mother Teresa’s words on her loss of faith:

I call, I cling, I want — and there is no One to answer — no One on Whom I can cling — no, No One. — Alone … Where is my Faith — even deep down right in there is nothing, but emptiness & darkness — My God — how painful is this unknown pain — I have no Faith — I dare not utter the words & thoughts that crowd in my heart — & make me suffer untold agony.

To me this empty darkness is very similar to what I face when I have a crisis in my admittedly poor writing.

What do you do when you have a writer’s block?

P.S.:
On a humorous note(It is the humor of the desperate, though), I would like to add this link, kindly given to me by Sam on how a lot of people cope with writer’s block!

Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

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5 Comments

  • DG says:

    You are welcome, Devi, and if you’d like we could exchange writing notes or advice. I am writing a mixture of fantasy/horror/mysticism…pure fiction.
    In any case, all the best with your writing, and I hope to keep following your blog!

  • Devi says:

    Thanks for the comment about “Running Away” – not sure yet where I want to take it. I’m leaning toward a memoir-type book, but we’ll see.

  • DG says:

    Thanks for your comment, age, I would like to keep following your blog as well!

  • Sam says:

    DG,
    You might find this link amusing if not helpful… http://www.sfwa.org/writing/block.htm . -Sam

  • Age says:

    Thank you for reading and leaving a message on my blog, had you not I would never have discovered your brilliant writing. I can def relate to this post…

    Excellent!