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You find yourself wistfully staring up at the stars. That should be a good thing. Unfortunately, your point of view also includes the snippets of trash, gum wrappers and cigarette butts that are common inhabitants of the curbside gutter in the writer's block subdivision. You wonder how you arrived at such a precarious point in your writing cycle. Why, just last week, you were...

In an agonizing flash, it all comes rushing back.

You were finishing a magazine piece on the budding pumpkin production along the eastern seaboard, ghostwriting a non-fiction novel detailing the rise and fall of the Canadian fur trader, completing the rewrite of a children's picture book (or, was it two?), finalizing the arrangements of a collaborative essay, taking your laundry to... That's when it hit. Or, possibly, snapped. You realized you no longer remembered exactly where laundry should be taken and, suddenly, you felt an overwhelming urge to lay down - in the gutter where, you felt quite confident, you would finally find some peace and quite in your life.

Sometimes writer's block is not so much a matter of too little going on in the brain, but of way too much. Ideas? You've got thousands of ideas, most acceptable, and some outright spectacular! Unfortunately, there exists but a limited amount of space between the ears. When overcrowding becomes acute, garage sale signs spring up everywhere and not even the best ideas retain keepsake status.

When that next happens in your life, try the Curly Washburn approach to breaking writer's block. Curly is the crusty old cowboy, played by Jack Palance, who leads the tenderfoots of the film City Slickers on the adventure of their lives. A little background is in order. Mitch (Billy Crystal) and his citified friends embark on a cattle-drive vacation in an attempt to resolve their midlife crises. His angst unrelieved by roping and branding, Mitch seeks out Curly and inquires as to the true path to contentment. Curly, apparently as adept at ruminating as he is at riding, sums up life's philosophy as, "One thing." Of course, it's left to Mitch to separate his own wheat and chaff, and settle on the "one thing" that appropriately fits his hand.

So it is with us.

The mind is indeed finite and, in times of stress, its borders retreat even further. The weight of it all - the deadlines, the titles, the drafts, the proposals, the ideas... becomes too much for the mind to process and it simply shuts down. Writer's block. But, by applying Curly's sage advice, you will find yourself once again at the top of your game.

Push everything aside. Everything. Appointments, dates, deadlines, drafts, ideas - chuck it all. Now, take a walk, or a bike ride or go for a drive. Clear your mind of all the matters that weigh so heavily. And, be patient. You've been carrying a heavy load. The letting go process may take a bit. Once you're past the immediacy of your situation you're ready to begin the reconstruction process.

Now, piece by piece, bring the various projects back into active consideration. But, only for an instant. If it's not truly important, nor does it evoke real passion, then cast it quickly aside and move on. As you work your way through your myriad choices look for your "one thing." It doesn't have to be a permanent one thing. In fact, it may only be today's one thing, nothing more. When you find it, grab it - don't let it escape, it's your path to sanity.

With a clear focus on your one thing, simply tell yourself that everything else will have to wait. You have a task to complete, one that excites you and you know you can complete skillfully. Now, get to it. Invest your energy on this one simple and satisfying project. As you do, you'll find that life itself comes back into focus and, when the time is right, you'll be ready to consider your next "one thing."


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About the Author

Tim Anderson is a freelance writer who has a special interest in medical topics. Visit his blog at medicalmigrant.blogspot.com/