Why do writers write? Because they love it, of course. But I've noticed that sometimes, I lose the joy in writing. Instead of a fun activity, writing becomes a chore. And the second I start thinking of writing in terms of work, boom! Hello, writer's block!
But how does that happen? What makes that little switch inside my head turn from fun mode into work mode?
After a bit of thought, I'll venture this explanation: there is no cookie-cutter explanation to magically make things easier, to suddenly give us phenomenal creative power. We all get tired from real life, tired from imaginary life, just plain tired. Sometimes, we're not tired, but just in a listless mood. Sometimes we're distracted (okay, maybe we're always distracted). I could go on and on.
Ultimately, can I stop myself from slipping into work mode? Nope, I don't have that much self-control. But I can train myself to recognize when I've slipped into work mode, and slip myself back into fun mode, or at least a fun work mode halfway between. It doesn't have to be an instant change--it just has to be fast enough to get the stories back on track.
As writers, we're never going to be in top writing form 24/7. (That's a dream to write about.) However, we can challenge ourselves, memorize our weaknesses, and just experiment with whatever works to remind us that writing is beautiful, and that is why we write.
