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/lit/ - Literature

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4418282 No.4418282[DELETED]  [Reply] [Original]

Writer's block doesn't exist. Discuss.

>> No.4418352

I tend to feel the same way, even though by most definitions I'm a sufferer. I think it might have something to do with not having clear goals, idealising the process and the end product to the extent that it becomes a vague and untenable thing, and of course, fear of failure in general.

But what the fuck do I know.

>> No.4418357

True. "Writer's block" happens because a writer is afraid of not actually being as skilled and profound as they imagine themselves to be.

In other words, writer's block is cowardice.

>> No.4418359

When a writer is blocked, that's writer's block. Of course it exists.

If you think people use that as an excuse not to work, that's a whole new issue. This kind of shitty excuse mentality is present in everything in life, not only with writing.

First some writer says he is blocked. Fuck. That's it.

Then some wannabe writer, in order to feel much like a writer will say that he has writer's block. It's as if I were to say I have an acrobat's block because I can't do gymnastics, but this way I still see myself as an acrobat.

And then after a lot of assholes did that, an asshole like yourself comes along and think he is brilliant for denouncing that other people's writer's block are not real.

Fuck. I don't know why anyone would care to even go there.

>> No.4418370

>>4418352

Oh, and after passing by the general critique thread, I remembered I think that the emphasis on minutiae is detrimental too.

>> No.4418373

>>4418282
It really doesn't. It's just one's incapability or, rather, lack of determination to sit down and think.
The frequency at which it plagues a writer is directly proportional to the number of distractions present/available.

Be it eating, drinking, watching movies, socializing or masturbating, everything has the potential to distract you.
It's the part of you that craves instant gratification.

>> No.4418381

>>4418357
So it does exist.

>> No.4418383

writers block is just a name people give when they don't want to write or can't think of what to write which are the same thing

>> No.4418398

writers block is putting the blame off yourself and onto an abstraction

>> No.4418400

>>4418381
>>So it does exist.

Insofar as dragons also exist because I can imagine them, and "imaginary" is a level of existence above "unimaginable".

>> No.4418428

>>4418381
Not the other guy - but yes it does in a sense, though it certainly isn't some magical curse.

It's lack of will with a side of fear.
You give in to the emotions of the moment that urge you to be a sloth.

It gets progressively easier to break through it the less you whine about it and the more time you spend writing.

>> No.4418437

how many of the people here discussing writer's block actively write?

>> No.4418462

>>4418400
>Insofar as dragons also exist because I can imagine them
You know that's true, right? That what you can imagine truly exists and what you can't imagine doesn't. I don't know how you could say that with this level of irony.

But the other anon has an even strong point. How do you define writer's block if not... being blocked, not able to write? Out of cowardice, lazyness, whatever you can ascribe that. It is the very definition of being blocked, bro.

There is no placebo courage or placebo belief or placebo block, because they are defined exactly by how you see and tackle the things you have to face.

>> No.4418484

>>4418282
As for Carlins Pic: he doesn't really understand the basics of statistics, does he?

>> No.4418485

>>4418373
You really think that of all the problems a writer can face he will be blocked out of rich white hyperactive entitled teenage problems? Geez.

>>4418428
>though it certainly isn't some magical curse.
Whoever speaks of it in that way, anyway? Though the vice of cowardice feels like a magical curse, I guess.

But even to say it is lack of will or fear is just assuming things. It is not false, but a lot of other things can block a writer.

All I hear ITT is:
>"Writer's block does not exist, it is merely..."
>proceeds to describe precisely what writer's block is

>> No.4418489

I thought writers block was simply when you couldn't think of anything to write, or burnt out from writing too much too quickly (I get it occasionally when I binge). It's all in our hears, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

>> No.4418546

>>4418484
>>As for Carlins Pic: he doesn't really understand the basics of statistics, does he?

He's actually right. Average intelligence is, well, is in the middle. Mean, median or modal average doesn't matter; in any sufficiently large population it's going to be the same number. By definition half of everyone is below the mean/median/modal intelligence.

Now, if you want to define "average intelligence" as a range of intelligences (typically between 85 and 115 IQ points) then, of course, he's wrong, but taking it that way would be pedantic and make whoever did that a complete wet sandwich.

>> No.4418789

>>4418359
nice response

>> No.4418954

If writer's block isn't real then what the fuck is that feeling you get on those afternoons after a shitty day where you're sleepy, head is thicker than mud and nothing flows no matter how hard you force it?

Yeah you can sit there smashing your face on the keyboard over and over just to "get something down" but that isn't the same as actually working. I can understand not trying to work but shit.

>> No.4419194

>>4418954
outline moar

>> No.4419498

>Buzzwords
>Vague arbitrary opinions subjective bullshit
:The Board

>> No.4419540

>feeling unmotivated and uninspired doesn't exist
The world will rejoice under the light of these new findings, thank you for your service.

>> No.4419588

>>4418546
While I agree, it's still mildly funny make a mistake stating something so simple, especially if you're trying to be clever.

>> No.4419657

>>4418546
Im pretty sure hes not speaking about the average IQ.

I think hes talking about the level of critical thinking and good decision making that goes on in the average persons head. Which from my own personal observations isn't that great in general.

But most people regardless of their capacity for intelligence can learn to be a critical thinker and be relatively well educated.

>> No.4419656

>>4419540
Man's default state is one of constant unmotivation and uninspiration. Writer's block is just a return to default.

>> No.4420001

>>4418437
There can be no possible truthful answer that question, anon

>> No.4420223

The man in the pic is such a sanctimonious twat i cant even post here. Satirical cunt.

>> No.4420274

>>4418282

> George Carlin doesn't understand the difference between average and median

>> No.4420287

>>4418282
Did you read that one post by REI?

>> No.4420289

>>4419588
it's not really a mistake, one of the first rules of statistics is that for a normal distribution in any sufficiently large population, the average will equal the median.
if you measure intelligence as IQ, which is a normally distributed, the average intelligence will be the same as the median intelligence
although i guess it would be off because a lot of people could have the same "intelligence" level and be on par with the median/average which would mean fewer than half would be below it, but at least the average would have an equal amount above and below it, which is pretty much what he's getting at

>> No.4420294

>>4420274
With something as vast as humanity, they're effectively the same.

>> No.4420295

>>4420274

>anon doesn't understand that intelligence is normally distributed and thus the mean IS the median

>> No.4420301

>>4418357
Well said.

>> No.4420308
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4420308

>>4420295
>rekt

>> No.4420311

>>4420295

> normal distributions are open-ended on both sides, meaning non-zero probabilities for negative values
> negative intelligence does not exist
> intelligence can not be normally distributed

Sure, it can be reasonably modeled using a normal distribution. This doesn't mean that it is normally distributed.

>> No.4420334
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4420334

>>4418282

>> No.4420336

>>4420311

If we want to measure by IQ (I don't believe it's a good measure of intelligence, but it's a good way to look at probabilities w/r/t normal distributions) then you need to be 7 standard deviations below the mean to fall into negative intelligence.

To fall more than 7 standard deviations outside the median in a normal distribution is a 1 in 3.9*10^11 chance, or over a thousand times more humans than have ever existed in history.

And even if such a thing did happen, and a human was born 7+ SD's above the mean intelligence, this does not mean that the median cannot still be called the mean. One person in 7 billion+ human beings does not shift the mean away from the median.

And a "true" measure of intelligence would likely require several more standard deviations before reaching negative values.

No model is perfectly accurate but what you're trying to imply here is ridiculous. The mean of human intelligence is the median of human intelligence.

>> No.4420339
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4420339

>> No.4420344

>>4420339

Fuck you. Carlin was a genius and he was hilarious in his prime (before he wore all black). His act went to hell when his wife died and he went insane from the grief.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC2Lo7zuTEE

>> No.4420352
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4420352

>>4420339
Thank you. I no longer can take all this autistic autosufficient ridiculous thing about "how enlightened, critical and engaged in this modern world I am".

>>4420344
Do you know who likes to think like you? Picture related.

>> No.4420355

Almost everyone you meet is smart. If you don't think so, you're going to have a rough time in the real world.

>> No.4420393

>>4418485
>You really think that of all the problems a writer can face he will be blocked out of rich white hyperactive entitled teenage problems? Geez.
Of course not, because all writers are naturally Randian heroes who could never be held back by anything so petty as a 'psychological problem'.

>> No.4420397

>>4419656
This is the conclusion I agree with.