Why can't I write when I have the time?

The second most infuriating thing about being an author is getting the time and environment right in order to get creative, as I have discussed in previous blogs we need certain environments in order to become creative and concentrate. Then why is it when I get those criteria correct and I carve out the space and time and quietness I need do I suffer the number 1 most infuriating thing for a writer; I can't actually write.

I have a head full of stories, concepts, ideas and plot points to be able to write a book in almost any genre, I am amazed sometimes at my capacity for original thought and to be able to plan out how the story will work. Yet when I am lucky enough to get my opportunities to write I find it devastatingly hard to do so.

I am currently in the throws of a Teen/YA adventure book, a new genre yet again for me, but it is a story I have wanted to write for over 10 years and I feel like I could do it justice now, but whenever I sit down to progress with it I find it hard to get started, then when I do I get along great until my time is up, I then curse myself for not starting earlier.

I have recently watched a film about a struggling writer who can't seem to start his follow up novel, (when I say recently I literally mean today) he is constantly stumped by the what the name of his lead character should be, and as the name will appear in the very first line of the book it stops him getting past it and it's not until he reconciles this name can he continue. I am happy to say that my issue is not that bad, but it did get me wondering about who else has trouble getting started, why is it we can't bring ourselves to put down words when the situation is right.

I asked myself these questions and I came up with the following;

1. Expectation - When we write something we need it to be good, do we doubt that we are taking the right track on what we are doing? Are expectations too high?

2. Concentration - Writing is an activity you become lost in, like those who play computer games for hours on end, you can become lost in your writing for hours, unfortunately if you are like me you never have that kind of time to commit so it's hard to start something you will have to stop soon.

3. Pressure - I have carved out this time in my day to do this so I am expecting to see the following results, this is the downside of living in a task centric society, just because we can write and we want to doesn't mean we will. Sometimes free will comes in to play when the brain feels pressured into carrying out a certain task it will rebel and decide to ignore that task in favour of something completely different, something that has no pressure attached to it at all.

'I have a head full of stories, concepts, ideas and plot points to be able to write a book in almost any genre'

I haven't hit a wall or have writers block, I know this because when I start, I can feel the ideas flowing from me so freely, so I have to take it that my brain is pushing me to rebel and stop booking up so much of my life. I do so love writing, it's why I do this blog, which by the way is an easy thing to commit too as it's short and I know it is easy to complete within the time, also I am aware of deadlines and I have a self-imposed deadline to have this out every Thursday. I wish I could say my awareness of my issue helps me to overcome it, but to be honest that hasn't happened yet. Hopefully I will get my next novel completed before too long and it's only supposed to be a short one.

Written by Martin Wallace