Can You Lose the Ability to Write?

Photo credit: Chris Blakeley on Flickr
A little over a year ago, I hit a bump in my writing —a few bumps, actually. You see, I’d just sent out a flurry of query letters for my most recent WIP at the time after rewriting it (again), and I needed a distraction. I was ready to start a new novel.

Except I didn’t have any ideas. Nada.

I wracked my brain for possibilities until I finally landed on a decent idea. I was relieved—for a second there I worried I might not ever think of a good idea again—until I tried to write it. The voice was wrong, the character was wrong, the idea was wrong. It was a terrible idea. I needed something better.

So I tried again. And failed again. And I began to panic.

In my mind, I didn’t have an excuse for not being able to write—I wasn’t in the middle of some huge life change, I didn’t have any more stress than usual and I was perfectly healthy. Happy even, if you discounted the not-being-able-to-write-thing. And yet despite that, the desperate ideas I came up with were crap. I could barely write a few pages, let alone an entire novel.

I decided to give it some time. It’s just a phase, I thought.

Six months later, the “phase” hadn’t ended. I felt guilty calling myself a writer—after all, I hadn’t written a thing in six months. When my family asked how my writing was going, I mumbled some sort of nondescript answer and changed the subject.

I really started to wonder if maybe I wasn’t cut out for the whole writing thing, after all.

But then I imagined another six months without writing. I asked myself how I would feel if I never wrote another novel again. I thought about my characters, about the worlds I’d created, the stories that, although unpublished, still entertained my family and friends.

Could I go the rest of my life without that?

I’m not going to be overdramatic. It was certainly physically possible for me to move on. I just didn’t want to.

So I didn’t. I sat down at my computer and I wrote again. It wasn’t necessarily the best novel idea I’d ever had, but it was something. It was proof. I’m a writer.

The point of this story though, isn’t to prove to you that I’m a writer. The point is to answer the question of the title: can you lose your ability to write?

The answer guys, is no. You can’t forget how to write any more than you can forget how to ride a bicycle. Truth is, if you have the will to write, if you have the determination to follow your dreams and make them come true, then the ability on some level is there. Your skills might need some refining, but you don’t need to be a master of your craft to write a story.

All you need is will.

Do you want to write? Then go do it. It’s really that simple.

Don’t have the time? Make time. No one else is going to do it for you.

Don’t have the talent? Talent is overrated. You don’t need talent; you need practice.

Don’t have novel ideas? Then write something else—poetry, blog posts, stream of consciousness—it doesn’t matter. Writing is writing and you’ll benefit from it either way.

If you really want to write, if you really want to see your dreams come true, you have to go out there and do it yourself. Fulfilled dreams don’t just land on some lucky person’s lap—they’re chased down and snatched up by the ones who aren’t afraid to put in the extra work and won’t stop until they see them realized.

Is that person you?

Have you ever encountered a non-writing period? How long did it last? How did you break out of it? 

22 comments:

mahek_r said...

I did find that I was writing differently though. I now write more dialogue than description.

Ava Jae said...

Our writing styles evolve as we continue to study and practice our craft. My WIPs are much leaner now than my first WIP was, for example. These things change and it's actually a good thing--it means you're developing your craft. 

Steven Belanger said...

I'm ashamed to say that my non-writing period lasted for years.  Eight, to be exact.  I got taken in by a scam artist who said she was an agent, that my stuff was great...I even got fake publisher rejections and a real Christmas card from her.  This happened when I was 21, didn't know any better; I sent money for an edit...you know.  Same old story.  I think now, though, that I didn't forget how to write; I just forgot that writing was what I wanted to do.  Am I a better person for going through that?  No.  But I'm a better writer...

Ava Jae said...

Wow, that sounds like a pretty elaborate scam. That's a shame that you went through that and that it set you back, but it's good to see that you're back doing what you love, even it took some time to get you back on track. 

sgchris said...

What a Great post!  And what I Really needed now - obviously given my own very recent post about Slumps, Funks, and so-called Writer's Blocks.
I'll definitely be doing a blog post on this and sending people here.  Thank You!

Ava Jae said...

Thank you so much! I'm really happy to hear that the post really resounded with you. :) Send me a link when your post is up! 

sgchris said...

have my post up linking to yours.   same post 2 places. ;)

http://bemusedwriter.blogspot.com/2011/11/lost-ability-to-write.html

http://sgchris.livejournal.com/45189.html

Thanks again for this great post.

Ava Jae said...

Thanks so much for linking back! I really appreciate it! ^_^

alex said...

This is great! I've had my book's first rough draft finished for 3 years now and I still continue to perfect it when I have the time. I think working with a story over a longer period of time has actually given me more ideas and better/more solid ideas.

Ava Jae said...

That's great, Alex! I wish you the best with your book!

Mike said...

thanks, your post made me feel better, i've been having little problems myself. i have the ideas just not the motivation, its like i'm avoiding it and when i write i can't think of the right words its as though i've lost the ability to make a sentence. i know it'll pass its the question of when.

Ava Jae said...

I've found that sometimes, you just have to allow yourself to write terribly. The result may be really bad writing, but it's infinitely easier to edit something you already have than to try to write something perfect from the start.


I wish you all the best with your writing! It's not always easy, but with enough determination, you'll break through. :)

Noah Horan said...

I've had a "non-writing period" for the last... hmm, four years? It's been pretty bad.

I mean I guess I'm exaggerating somewhat, I still constantly write papers for various college classes and I've taken a couple of creative writing classes over the last four years I've been able to supply plenty of material for, but my main drive, writing a novel I've been dreaming up for the last maybe eight years, has been at a rough stand-still since 2009.

I dunno what it is, but I just can't finish anything I start. Short stories, novels, whatever. I do well enough with poetry, when I write something I don't immediately deem absolute trash, but I just can't get anywhere with prose anymore. Which is a bummer, cuz when I was in high school I crapped out draft after draft of this novel. Yes, they were all terrible and amateurish, but at least I was able to PRODUCE at that time.

It really sucks. I totally agree with your assertion that "if you wanna write, then write," but man, I just CAN'T somehow.

Ava Jae said...

Hmm. I suppose the first thing you may want to try to identify is what's stopping you from finishing? What is it that you keep running into that makes you stop writing?

pepper said...

I've had a non-writing period for the pas year. I used to write BOOKS, make up mind blowing stories and write journals since I was 9 years old.. now I'm 18 and can't write a sentence without feeling like I've lost my talent, my ability.
Now after reading this, i'm going to try again. :)

Ava Jae said...

Oh, I'm so happy to hear you're going to try again! I wish you all the best, and if you have any questions or struggles, don't hesitate to ask. :)

Morgo said...

I honestly couldn't care less if I lost the ability to write a story again. Nobody really enjoys them anyway.

Ava Jae said...

Hmm...but do you enjoy writing them?

jamoz said...

I look back and I wish I had that same drive to write I had when I was a teen/young adult. I find these days that if I write my blog, it will go well for three, maybe four weeks, then I run out of ideas. Right now I haven't touched it in about three or four months because my writing well is dry. It is depressing.

Ava Jae said...

I think we all (or at least, many of us) go through dry spells from time to time. I certainly did, and it can be really tough and discouraging, but I think the best thing you can do is to continue pushing yourself until you manage to break through it. Don't give up!

Morgo said...

Nope. That's why I stopped.

Ava Jae said...

Well, fair enough then. If you don't enjoy it, then it's best to put that energy into something that you do enjoy. :)

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