What do you think?
Rate this book
On Writer's Block/a New Approach to Creativity: A New Approach to Creativity by Nelson, Victoria (1993) Hardcover
Creative blocks are as old as the written word and a source of guilt and frustration that have afflicted the lives of many of the greatest writers and artists. Yet such mysterious creative silences need not be feared. Rather, argues Victoria Nelson, they should be viewed as a positive element in a writer's or artist's growth, the unconscious mind's signal to readjust the approach to a work in progress. By defining the true nature of this condition and developing an understanding of its varied origins, the author shows writers and artists how to reestablish contact with their creative selves.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1985
19 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 17, 2014
Short version: This book is wholly full of wisdom about the natural rhythms and flows of a creative life, buttressing its solid psychological analysis with poignant, insightful words from writers themselves. It encourages self-compassion like all get-out, and for that I love it.
Long version: Which is more of a testimonial than a review. So stop here if you're not in the mood for personal biography.
I just re-read this book for the first time in 20 years, and it turns out, it pretty much explains my entire life. Or at least explains how I managed to stay somewhat sane while caged with my writerly self for the last two decades.
I am one of those people whose formative years sucked SO HARD on a number of levels that it seemed the only thing I had in the world was the ability to put word after word down in a way that pleased. It was all I had. It was the boat, it was the paddle, it was the bucket I used to bail.
I went to college, hoping to be saved by other things and other people, and I wasn't. Instead, the worst thing happened. The writing STOPPED. I had enrolled in a writing workshop with a local playwright I admired the heck out of -- and she was even more awesome live and in person, so my artistic crush stopped little short of hero worship. I got good comments back on the first couple of assignments I'd done, so I didn't want to see disappointment on her face -- or in her handwritten notes. And all at once, I was sitting in front of a computer, staring at it. Just staring. While the whirlpool of self-hate span wildly in my head, sloshing against the sides: "It has to be good enough. It has to be good enough. There's no way it'll ever be good enough."
It made me really, really want to take up alcohol as a hobby.
I can't remember now whether it was my mother who pointed "On Writer's Block" out to me -- or whether it was she who actually put it in my hands. But it was the best thing that could ever have happened to me. It literally saved me. It helped me see writing as something you have your whole life to do -- which is a damned good thing because the creative process is an organic process, with ebbs and flows, with seasons -- and it's a psychological process in which you push and fall back and push and fall back further. It is not neatly separated from the growth of life AT ALL, and so it stays messy, even when you've acquired a certain set of skills, even if you're lucky enough to have a certain aptitude. It just is a mess.
And so for the last twenty years, I've carried this book with me from place to place, and the sight of it has made me feel calm -- but until this re-reading, I didn't realize how much of its wisdom infiltrated everything I think about my own writing, how much I internalized that message that resistance to writing means something -- not just laziness, not just random fear or self-hate. There's something there you have to figure out, and there aren't shortcuts to that, other than living through it. Silence is a part of writing; not-writing is a part of writing.
Hearing me champion this is going to tick off everyone I know who thinks I don't write enough. My apologies, guys. But I know this book is magic, because it understands writers as whole people, not just as a set of fingers and an ego and a deadline. I know this because the writing hasn't really stopped since I took that idea really in. And to be honest, that's what I really need. I just need it not to stop ever again. And that's good enough for me.
Long version: Which is more of a testimonial than a review. So stop here if you're not in the mood for personal biography.
I just re-read this book for the first time in 20 years, and it turns out, it pretty much explains my entire life. Or at least explains how I managed to stay somewhat sane while caged with my writerly self for the last two decades.
I am one of those people whose formative years sucked SO HARD on a number of levels that it seemed the only thing I had in the world was the ability to put word after word down in a way that pleased. It was all I had. It was the boat, it was the paddle, it was the bucket I used to bail.
I went to college, hoping to be saved by other things and other people, and I wasn't. Instead, the worst thing happened. The writing STOPPED. I had enrolled in a writing workshop with a local playwright I admired the heck out of -- and she was even more awesome live and in person, so my artistic crush stopped little short of hero worship. I got good comments back on the first couple of assignments I'd done, so I didn't want to see disappointment on her face -- or in her handwritten notes. And all at once, I was sitting in front of a computer, staring at it. Just staring. While the whirlpool of self-hate span wildly in my head, sloshing against the sides: "It has to be good enough. It has to be good enough. There's no way it'll ever be good enough."
It made me really, really want to take up alcohol as a hobby.
I can't remember now whether it was my mother who pointed "On Writer's Block" out to me -- or whether it was she who actually put it in my hands. But it was the best thing that could ever have happened to me. It literally saved me. It helped me see writing as something you have your whole life to do -- which is a damned good thing because the creative process is an organic process, with ebbs and flows, with seasons -- and it's a psychological process in which you push and fall back and push and fall back further. It is not neatly separated from the growth of life AT ALL, and so it stays messy, even when you've acquired a certain set of skills, even if you're lucky enough to have a certain aptitude. It just is a mess.
And so for the last twenty years, I've carried this book with me from place to place, and the sight of it has made me feel calm -- but until this re-reading, I didn't realize how much of its wisdom infiltrated everything I think about my own writing, how much I internalized that message that resistance to writing means something -- not just laziness, not just random fear or self-hate. There's something there you have to figure out, and there aren't shortcuts to that, other than living through it. Silence is a part of writing; not-writing is a part of writing.
Hearing me champion this is going to tick off everyone I know who thinks I don't write enough. My apologies, guys. But I know this book is magic, because it understands writers as whole people, not just as a set of fingers and an ego and a deadline. I know this because the writing hasn't really stopped since I took that idea really in. And to be honest, that's what I really need. I just need it not to stop ever again. And that's good enough for me.
December 13, 2018
This book … oh this blessed, glorious book … is a treasure! It is the only book on writing I’ve read so far — and I have an extensive library of books on writing — that has met me where I need to be met. It is deep and it is wise. If you’re interested in exploring your creative process as the making of soul, then this is the guide for you. You will want to read and re-read it to glean the layers of understanding that are possible. Victoria Nelson will encourage you to set a place at your writerly desk for all the aspects of yourself. This is her tome for the soul of a writer. A rare and precious text, having read it you’ll be better equipped to learn what wants to be written through you. I know I sure am!
April 14, 2011
There are 2 must-reads for authors and publishers. this is the second of them.
Writers Block is every writers dread and fear. What happens when you are stuck. Either a story that won't write itself, new ideas just won't come, or you are just plain frustrated because you know this is not anywhere near your "best work."
On writers block takes a very holistic and pro-active approach to what is going on when creativity won't flow. It delves into the nature of creativity, how it works, etc. It looks at blocked creativity as a powerful message from the creative elements in the mind/personality. As a result- it helps to think of creativity as a vibrant child.. and it is now refusing to cooperate with what you keep demanding of it. Creativity cannot and should not be forced, or it shuts down. this book gives really valuable insights and perspectives that will help any writer who is having trouble writing, and it will improve the writing of those who are not struggling.
Anyone who works in the creative mediums will benefit from understanding these concepts. because, coupled with playing by heart, On writers block- it helps to appreciate and nurture the writing/ creating element and process.
January 21, 2020
Even though written in the mid-eighties, this is (and should be) a fresh slap in the face to those grinding away at the writing game. Victoria Nelson stands atop a steel-plated soapbox in this one...she foregoes the gentle head-stroking and ego-boosting of some other writerly books. Eloquently and harshly, at the same time, she relays the dread and the fears that come along with dedicating oneself to be a 'writer.' Part obstinate aunt, part mother with your best interests at heart, other times a drill sergeant who believes you must taste the dirt and suffer before you can become any way enlightened. This is one of the more enjoyable books on the creative spirit, and the quotes she uses to anchor her points are unique, on-point, and scholarly without being pompous. Again, this is not a pat-on-the-back approach. It's a hard pinch-and-twist of the ego when it comes to page, prose, and most importantly, dedication. At times, all over the place, and other times, direct and sharp and sobering, Nelson offers a no-frills meditation on what it means to sit in a chair and fill in the blanks with those things called Imagination and Expectation.
"All that exists in this timeless world is the word or sentence you are putting down on the paper. Do not look back to what might have been, or forward to what may never happen. Concentrate on the moment of composition."
"For the latter group, a more cautious, less confrontational way of sneaking up on the problem would be to say, 'Tomorrow I'm going to sit down and see what happens."
"Your decision to continue as a writer must be, as always, and individual one."
"All that exists in this timeless world is the word or sentence you are putting down on the paper. Do not look back to what might have been, or forward to what may never happen. Concentrate on the moment of composition."
"For the latter group, a more cautious, less confrontational way of sneaking up on the problem would be to say, 'Tomorrow I'm going to sit down and see what happens."
"Your decision to continue as a writer must be, as always, and individual one."
Read
May 19, 2022I love the idea that writer's block has something to teach you, and that by listening to it or even leaning into it you may learn valuable things about your writing practice, and come out the other side of it, if you're meant to. That lesson alone makes this book worth reading and rereading.
I am particularly appreciative of her statement that even for a full-time or professional writer, it takes something like 5-7 years to become comfortable with one's own version of writer's block, and to fully sink into the rituals and habits that support a writing practice. My jaw fell open when I read that, since I'm about 7 years in with mine, and, after many years of beating myself up for not having already figured this writing biz out, have finally felt something clicking. Nelson's advice is to be gentle with oneself, even if she's not always gentle in its delivery, trying to jolt blocked writers out of their assumptions.
Some bits are dated. The diagnostic chapters that fill out the book, creating a taxonomy of blocked writers, felt a bit cruel to me at times, and not always accurate. For example, the idea that child prodigy syndrome is always the product of a tyrannical parent who forced the child to achieve things too soon just doesn't accord with the child prodigies I know, many of whom achieved things precisely to get the attention of distracted parents. Her advice never seemed flat-out wrong to me, just not universally applicable. And at times I felt her emphasis on puncturing writers' illusory visions of themselves was counter to the underlying messaging of abandoning shame.
Incidentally, my main advice for getting through writers block is to "journal the block" in a notebook, even if it means writing "I don't know what to write" or "I don't know why I'm blocked" over and over until you start to come up with possible reasons. Another tactic a friend lent me years ago is to "write the unwritable scene," the scene that you may never actually put in the book, but which you're so scared of writing that you can't write anything until it's out of your mind and on the page. I'll take more techniques from this book. Who knows, maybe someday I'll write my own.
I am particularly appreciative of her statement that even for a full-time or professional writer, it takes something like 5-7 years to become comfortable with one's own version of writer's block, and to fully sink into the rituals and habits that support a writing practice. My jaw fell open when I read that, since I'm about 7 years in with mine, and, after many years of beating myself up for not having already figured this writing biz out, have finally felt something clicking. Nelson's advice is to be gentle with oneself, even if she's not always gentle in its delivery, trying to jolt blocked writers out of their assumptions.
Some bits are dated. The diagnostic chapters that fill out the book, creating a taxonomy of blocked writers, felt a bit cruel to me at times, and not always accurate. For example, the idea that child prodigy syndrome is always the product of a tyrannical parent who forced the child to achieve things too soon just doesn't accord with the child prodigies I know, many of whom achieved things precisely to get the attention of distracted parents. Her advice never seemed flat-out wrong to me, just not universally applicable. And at times I felt her emphasis on puncturing writers' illusory visions of themselves was counter to the underlying messaging of abandoning shame.
Incidentally, my main advice for getting through writers block is to "journal the block" in a notebook, even if it means writing "I don't know what to write" or "I don't know why I'm blocked" over and over until you start to come up with possible reasons. Another tactic a friend lent me years ago is to "write the unwritable scene," the scene that you may never actually put in the book, but which you're so scared of writing that you can't write anything until it's out of your mind and on the page. I'll take more techniques from this book. Who knows, maybe someday I'll write my own.
July 5, 2010
I find this a very insightful and constructive book about writer's block, even if it leans heavily on Freudian concepts. The author has been very direct with the major points she made, particularly the need to maintain a healthy balance between the creative child and one's often authoritarian self.
February 20, 2008
I love you, Nelson. I've always been curious about the psychological aspects of the creative person -- and the balance between spontaneous play and skill. Nelson has a lot of interesting things to say not just for writers but all artists, I think. A quick read.
March 9, 2011
Turns out I had reader's block. I only made it halfway through
September 22, 2017
I was given this book by a friend who was concerned that I hadn't been writing much since publishing my first book. I must say, it hit the nail on the head for why I am not writing as much as I could.
The author speaks of typewriters, so I dove over to the publication date and well, it is slightly dated, having a copyright of 1985! It still has much useful info and I'll be keeping it on my "tools shelf".
The author speaks of typewriters, so I dove over to the publication date and well, it is slightly dated, having a copyright of 1985! It still has much useful info and I'll be keeping it on my "tools shelf".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2020
Reseña completa en mi blog: https://bit.ly/3frkBZ8
Me ha resultado interesante comprender que hay muchos tipos de bloqueo; el libro no siempre te da soluciones prácticas para ellos, pero sí te ayuda a identificar el tuyo para que puedas empezar a trabajar a partir de ahí.
Me ha resultado interesante comprender que hay muchos tipos de bloqueo; el libro no siempre te da soluciones prácticas para ellos, pero sí te ayuda a identificar el tuyo para que puedas empezar a trabajar a partir de ahí.
August 22, 2018
Recommend for every creator to read at some point.
July 5, 2021
I enjoyed this a lot!
I thrifted this book and wasnt planning on reading it but I’m glad that I did
I thrifted this book and wasnt planning on reading it but I’m glad that I did
April 30, 2023
For the love of god, writer, give yourself a break. That’s basically the message and a good one too.
September 4, 2023
If you’ve had the misfortune of making all the mistakes this book warns against, it will be so much more than a book about writing. I’ve had to re-examine my entire life in light of it.
September 20, 2023
This has to be my favorite book on writing and I’ve read it at least three times in as many years. Victoria Nelson lays out the anatomy of the blocked writer, inch by inch, the bare corpse split open on the table before us. The three overarching themes of the book are:
Personally I initially recognized myself on many pages, then on most pages, and eventually — with repeat re-readings — on every page. I identify with all of the types she identifies but with none fully. My guess is that many potential readers have a similarly complicated relationship with their work. A problem with the blank page then is more akin to a neurosurgeon trying to tease a delicate path between a mass of nerve fibers and less an Alexander slashing away brutishly at a Gordian knot. This message alone could save countless potential writers untold hours of therapy.
If you find yourself blocked, try this book. Then reread it. And maybe then reread it again. All will be revealed. The author has done something few ever achieve, creating a deeply understood, multilayered work that has the potential to actually help people.
(1) the tension between authenticity and ambition
(2) the truly complex nature of the beast; there is not one block but many, their shapes varied and causes many
(3) a block is not a curse but a blessing, a message from the creative self, whence the writing comes
Personally I initially recognized myself on many pages, then on most pages, and eventually — with repeat re-readings — on every page. I identify with all of the types she identifies but with none fully. My guess is that many potential readers have a similarly complicated relationship with their work. A problem with the blank page then is more akin to a neurosurgeon trying to tease a delicate path between a mass of nerve fibers and less an Alexander slashing away brutishly at a Gordian knot. This message alone could save countless potential writers untold hours of therapy.
If you find yourself blocked, try this book. Then reread it. And maybe then reread it again. All will be revealed. The author has done something few ever achieve, creating a deeply understood, multilayered work that has the potential to actually help people.
July 21, 2013
The book tackles issues of procrastination, where the author says that, sometimes it is not the writer's choice on why he/she procrastinates but its because of the complex factors around: information overload, tiredness, etc.
Also, it reiterates the need to write, whatever, no matter how senseless, gibberish, grammatically incorrect, just let the ideas flow, and edit later. Edit it twice, thrice, re-read it, let your friend or your inner-critique trim down the excess fat of that piece of writing.
With these, it is also advisable to read AA Patawaran's Write Here Write Now.
Also, it reiterates the need to write, whatever, no matter how senseless, gibberish, grammatically incorrect, just let the ideas flow, and edit later. Edit it twice, thrice, re-read it, let your friend or your inner-critique trim down the excess fat of that piece of writing.
With these, it is also advisable to read AA Patawaran's Write Here Write Now.
September 28, 2008
Nelson has some good points, but "direct and to-the-point" her style is not; denser than it need have been.
October 31, 2012
Essential for anybody in a creative profession.
January 14, 2013
Gave my copy away. I did not find this book helpful.
November 11, 2014
An insightful read.
December 20, 2016
Not only is this good writing advice, it's good life advice.
September 21, 2009
I've read many books on writing and creativity but this is one I will conintually return to
April 16, 2013
No longer reviewing here due to amazon takeover. http://weightlessbooks.com/
April 4, 2017
Los libros de autoayuda son el hazmerreír de mucha gente, yo el primero que se burla, y por buenas razones. Pero esto es injusto para algunos libros de autoayuda verdaderamente sensatos, como este 'Sobre el bloqueo del escritor' de Victoria Nelson.
A los libros de autoayuda no se les puede pedir una verdad científica, universal, porque esta no existe en el mundo de las emociones humanas. Pero sí deben ser obras que traten con respeto al lector, que no insulten su inteligencia ni traten de aprovecharse de él. Habría dos maneras de encarar la escritura de un libro de autoayuda: desde una perspectiva académica, hablando de "en general", "la mayoría de veces" o "muchas veces"; desde una perspectiva personal, en la que el autor cuenta sus problemas y cómo los superó, con la esperanza de que pueda servirle a otros, almas afines o, mejor aún, con base humana común. Nelson aquí elabora un híbrido de ambos, desde una perspectiva psicoanalítica muy apropiada, útil para todo el que no tenga alergia a lo freudiano.
La tesis de la autora es, en el fondo, sencilla. El bloqueo del escritor es básicamente no escribir cuando quieres (o crees que quieres) hacerlo, pero también escribir con gran dolor, sin estar en absoluto satisfecho de los resultados, o incluso escribir demasiado y todo letras muertas. Puede durar días o años o décadas, o toda una vida, y es bloqueo porque duele, presiona. ¿La explicación de Victoria Nelson? Sucede porque el inconsciente está siendo oprimido por el consciente, que lo tiraniza obligándole a escribir, quiere imponer la escritura por la fuerza y el inconsciente se niega, como un niño pequeño. ¿Por qué? Porque la escritura, dice la autora, nace del juego, del gozo de escribir. Puede nacer del sufrimiento, claro, pero, en todo caso, el mismo proceso de escribir debe ser siempre placentero o no será.
La clave es que la escritura está siempre vinculada a la persona. Si el escritor es un desastre emocional, si no ha sabido enfrentar sus problemas vitales, la escritura será un desastre, si es que llega a ser. Los problemas son, entre otros, el paso a la edad adulta (que puede ser muy tardío), el miedo a concretar una obra o un estilo (si no se escribe, siempre queda el sueño del potencial: "soy un genio", es imposible comprobarlo si no se escribe, darse cuenta de que no es verdad si no se escribe), miedo al éxito o al fracaso, expectativas no realistas, incapacidad de aceptar lo que se quiere escribir realmente o, sin más, que uno no debe (no quiere) escribir. Y, si fuera así, tampoco pasaría nada. Arreglar o aceptar estas situaciones lleva años, una apreciación muy importante en la que insiste la autora y que la distingue del libro de autoayuda insultante. Y Nelson también reconoce que no siempre se logra mejorar.
Es una visión muy razonable y aplicable a la mayoría de los casos. Es fácil: olvida todos tus proyectos y limítate a escribir cuanto y como y lo que quieras, y solo si te apetece. Esta es la solución que ofrece el libro de Nelson. Y esto tiene una parte positiva y otra negativa:
- La buena es que anima a escribir ya, ahora, lo que sea, como sea, pero solo si de verdad tienes ganas. Es simple. A la larga, esto irá creando un hábito, dotándote de autoestima, etc.; o, por contra, te llevará a darte cuenta de que no te gusta escribir y, con suerte, a aceptarlo con el tiempo. Todo esto, claro, siempre y cuando trabajes también para ser sincero contigo mismo y mejorarte como persona.
- La mala es que la obra se centra en esto, en la producción espontánea y de puro placer. Sin embargo, la escritura también es (si se toma en serio) trabajo, es insistencia y esfuerzo consciente, especialmente en la revisión. La autora lo sabe, pero no lo dice mucho para no asustar, confía en que eso llegará cuando tenga que llegar, cuando el escritor ya esté desbloqueado a medio o largo plazo, cuando esté preparado pueda afrontarlo por sí mismo, incluso con gusto. Ahora es solo el momento de animar y quitarle importancia a la escritura.
A mí me ha funcionado, si bien días antes ya había cruzado el punto crítico de mi primer bloqueo serio (más que bloqueo, una pérdida de sentido de la escritura) y había entrado en el camino de salida por mi propio pie. Y es que, cuando un libro de autoayuda funciona, suele ser porque el lector ya estaba en la dirección de arreglarse a sí mismo, estaba a punto de formularse las preguntas adecuadas y dar con las respuestas (las acciones) que tocaban y era posible y deseable llevar a cabo. La obra solo da el empujón final para que el lector conceptualice bien su situación, le da un apoyo, una comprensión, le muestra que no está solo y muchos han pasado por lo mismo. Y que no todos lo superan: el buen libro de autoayuda debe ser sincero en esto, y este de Nelson lo es.
En definitiva, un libro que recomendaría como lectura obligatoria para todo aquel que quiere escribir o que escribe, y que tiene años suficientes para haber sufrido lo suyo por la escritura o alrededor de ella.
A los libros de autoayuda no se les puede pedir una verdad científica, universal, porque esta no existe en el mundo de las emociones humanas. Pero sí deben ser obras que traten con respeto al lector, que no insulten su inteligencia ni traten de aprovecharse de él. Habría dos maneras de encarar la escritura de un libro de autoayuda: desde una perspectiva académica, hablando de "en general", "la mayoría de veces" o "muchas veces"; desde una perspectiva personal, en la que el autor cuenta sus problemas y cómo los superó, con la esperanza de que pueda servirle a otros, almas afines o, mejor aún, con base humana común. Nelson aquí elabora un híbrido de ambos, desde una perspectiva psicoanalítica muy apropiada, útil para todo el que no tenga alergia a lo freudiano.
La tesis de la autora es, en el fondo, sencilla. El bloqueo del escritor es básicamente no escribir cuando quieres (o crees que quieres) hacerlo, pero también escribir con gran dolor, sin estar en absoluto satisfecho de los resultados, o incluso escribir demasiado y todo letras muertas. Puede durar días o años o décadas, o toda una vida, y es bloqueo porque duele, presiona. ¿La explicación de Victoria Nelson? Sucede porque el inconsciente está siendo oprimido por el consciente, que lo tiraniza obligándole a escribir, quiere imponer la escritura por la fuerza y el inconsciente se niega, como un niño pequeño. ¿Por qué? Porque la escritura, dice la autora, nace del juego, del gozo de escribir. Puede nacer del sufrimiento, claro, pero, en todo caso, el mismo proceso de escribir debe ser siempre placentero o no será.
La clave es que la escritura está siempre vinculada a la persona. Si el escritor es un desastre emocional, si no ha sabido enfrentar sus problemas vitales, la escritura será un desastre, si es que llega a ser. Los problemas son, entre otros, el paso a la edad adulta (que puede ser muy tardío), el miedo a concretar una obra o un estilo (si no se escribe, siempre queda el sueño del potencial: "soy un genio", es imposible comprobarlo si no se escribe, darse cuenta de que no es verdad si no se escribe), miedo al éxito o al fracaso, expectativas no realistas, incapacidad de aceptar lo que se quiere escribir realmente o, sin más, que uno no debe (no quiere) escribir. Y, si fuera así, tampoco pasaría nada. Arreglar o aceptar estas situaciones lleva años, una apreciación muy importante en la que insiste la autora y que la distingue del libro de autoayuda insultante. Y Nelson también reconoce que no siempre se logra mejorar.
Es una visión muy razonable y aplicable a la mayoría de los casos. Es fácil: olvida todos tus proyectos y limítate a escribir cuanto y como y lo que quieras, y solo si te apetece. Esta es la solución que ofrece el libro de Nelson. Y esto tiene una parte positiva y otra negativa:
- La buena es que anima a escribir ya, ahora, lo que sea, como sea, pero solo si de verdad tienes ganas. Es simple. A la larga, esto irá creando un hábito, dotándote de autoestima, etc.; o, por contra, te llevará a darte cuenta de que no te gusta escribir y, con suerte, a aceptarlo con el tiempo. Todo esto, claro, siempre y cuando trabajes también para ser sincero contigo mismo y mejorarte como persona.
- La mala es que la obra se centra en esto, en la producción espontánea y de puro placer. Sin embargo, la escritura también es (si se toma en serio) trabajo, es insistencia y esfuerzo consciente, especialmente en la revisión. La autora lo sabe, pero no lo dice mucho para no asustar, confía en que eso llegará cuando tenga que llegar, cuando el escritor ya esté desbloqueado a medio o largo plazo, cuando esté preparado pueda afrontarlo por sí mismo, incluso con gusto. Ahora es solo el momento de animar y quitarle importancia a la escritura.
A mí me ha funcionado, si bien días antes ya había cruzado el punto crítico de mi primer bloqueo serio (más que bloqueo, una pérdida de sentido de la escritura) y había entrado en el camino de salida por mi propio pie. Y es que, cuando un libro de autoayuda funciona, suele ser porque el lector ya estaba en la dirección de arreglarse a sí mismo, estaba a punto de formularse las preguntas adecuadas y dar con las respuestas (las acciones) que tocaban y era posible y deseable llevar a cabo. La obra solo da el empujón final para que el lector conceptualice bien su situación, le da un apoyo, una comprensión, le muestra que no está solo y muchos han pasado por lo mismo. Y que no todos lo superan: el buen libro de autoayuda debe ser sincero en esto, y este de Nelson lo es.
En definitiva, un libro que recomendaría como lectura obligatoria para todo aquel que quiere escribir o que escribe, y que tiene años suficientes para haber sufrido lo suyo por la escritura o alrededor de ella.
December 18, 2017
No puedo decir que haya sido de los libros de escritura más entretenidos que haya leído; sin embargo debo recomendarlo por la profundidad y recursos con los que trata uno de los problemas más temidos del escritor medio: la hoja en blanco.
No encontrarás en el libro los típicos «dogmas» que se suelen leer en los blogs de escritura y en las charlas de profesores de segunda. Victoria Nelson trata, desde la profundidad psicológica, todo lo que puede haber detrás de dicho bloqueo que, en muchas ocasiones, simplificamos de manera excesiva.
Es un libro para reflexionar sobre qué somos como escritores y cuáles pueden ser las fuentes de nuestro problema, para así resolver las causas subyacentes. Cada caso es único, las circunstancias determinan la profundidad y la problemática del modelo. El libro te hará pensar y descubrirlo por ti mismo.
No encontrarás en el libro los típicos «dogmas» que se suelen leer en los blogs de escritura y en las charlas de profesores de segunda. Victoria Nelson trata, desde la profundidad psicológica, todo lo que puede haber detrás de dicho bloqueo que, en muchas ocasiones, simplificamos de manera excesiva.
Es un libro para reflexionar sobre qué somos como escritores y cuáles pueden ser las fuentes de nuestro problema, para así resolver las causas subyacentes. Cada caso es único, las circunstancias determinan la profundidad y la problemática del modelo. El libro te hará pensar y descubrirlo por ti mismo.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews