Our trip to Northern Samar was truly awe inspiring. It was the nearest to nature in an almost pristine place where tradition is respected, culture is passionately preserved, and the Warays' way of life is extremes from the hustle of Metro Manilans.
After a day's grind, my very late afternoons while there were dreamy and romantic that there was this urge to write. I imagined myself in a hammock, swinging in rhythmic motion, looking yonder Northern Samar's endless fine white sand, by the brackish waters lay acres of mangroves lining the rivers, rows of coconut and palm trees clumped up near the shorelines, and clusters of bamboo bending where the wind blows.
The weather was cooperative every single day of our stay. Just a week or so ago, residents said there was flooding due to torrential rains brought by a tropical disturbance from the Pacific Ocean. Northern Samar lies along the typhoon corridor.
The pages of my ruled steno pad were filled with notes and scribbles. "I will organize these when I get to Manila," I told myself.
Creative Paralysis
After an eight-day engagement, back to reality that is the chaotic traffic on main thoroughfares and the bustle of commuters in a rush.
Excited to compose and organize my exact notes and creative scribbles, I found myself in a daze. My mind was blank. Perhaps I was simply too bushed from the trip that I my creative juices ran dry.
A writer’s block?
My outline looked almost perfect and our research output were on point. The narrative was there. All that was needed was to connect the facts to the direction.
As a long-time writer, I am aware that when block strikes, it could last for days or even weeks. As a journalist, making this state last for even just an hour is unacceptable. There was this feeling of frustration that creative paralysis set in.
Regaining Momentum
Our stay in Northern Samar was not a break nor a vacation. It was a time-bounded task. The deadline may be months from now but the narrative remains dependent on the here-and-now processing of information gathered.
Sliding into a writer's block is unacceptable.
What did I do to quash this? Immediately, I shifted to a different charge such as writing this column, shifted focus from pen-pushing to physical exercises, engaged my daughter into small talk over a quick Japanese meal, off to the mall with my youngest grandson, and then went to a bookstore to browse over Tom Clancy's spy novels.
Veering away from my project for a while helped me regain momentum and brought me back to the writing mode.
An Impasse, Not A Disease
Writer's block is not a disease or an illness but it could be debilitating if one is under pressure or notices a deterioration in output quality.
While a writer's block could be caused by various factors — from psychological to physical stress — the impact could be controlled and managed.
This doesn't occur often, but when it does, I'd like to think it happens because I have the tendency to think ahead or overthink as to the outcome of the project. And given the situation, writing becomes a daunting task.
Getting into a comfortable and relaxed mode with the idea that standards and deadline will be met and put on paper soon, wards off any impediment that may hamper the thought process.
Only then can I break free from the writing impasse and get back to chronologically putting thoughts "on paper".
(email opinyon.luchie@gmail.com, luchiearguelles@yahoo.com)
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