Y’know, that makes me think of something, actually.
So if you’re one of those “I can only write when I feel Inspired™” type of writers but you never seem to feel very inspired, and all of the usual “You have to make a schedule and stick to it and sit down and write XYZ words per day” writing tips have never worked for you and only make you feel guilty but you have no idea why,
have you perhaps considered that you might be neurodivergent / mentally ill / have a chronic health condition, and that what you call “inspiration” is what the rest of us call “spoons”?
B/c that is exactly what happened to me.
I haven’t been able to find it since, but I read an article ages and ages ago that said: There is no such thing as writer’s block. What we call “writer’s block” is what the medical community refers to as “depression.”
And I went, “Huh.”
I read this and thought, “That’s not true, I don’t feel depressed when I have writer’s block. Sometimes you just have to wait for a big burst of creative energy. You don’t control when that happens, but when it does, you seize the moment because you’re incredibly focused and productive during that time.”
then I remembered that I have ADHD
so
point to you, OP
Hi hello i am neurodivergent and this post describes me and my writing habits down to the letter but i have never learned about spoons??? Ive heard the term but dont know what it refers to really so at the risk of sounding dumb would anyone be willing to explain it
i did a quick google search and am still not sure i solidly have the concept but it sounds like something i would really relate to??
Spoon Theory comes from how a woman with iirc lupus explained the difference between her life and her friend’s life to her abled friend. they were having lunch somewhere, and she collected all the spoons off nearby tables and asked her friend to describe a typical day. (I’m paraphrasing lots; the original essay should be at ButYouDontLookSick.com.)
Christine’s friend: well first I’d get up and take a shower–
Christine: that costs a spoon.
the friend: then I’d cook breakfast–
Christine: that costs a spoon. when they’re gone, they’re gone, and you’re done for the day.
the concept has since been expanded somewhat, like, I have a doctor’s appointment in a couple weeks and my housemate noted the entire day on the calendar as “Alex will be useless” (my phrase) but it could as easily say “spoon debt” because going to the appointment that morning will wipe out my spoon bank for at least the rest of the day and might involve borrowing from the next day (won’t know till we get there); also there’s a post somewhere around here using a D&D spell slots metaphor because high-level spell slots can be used for low-level spells but not vice versa (teaspoons, tablespoons, and mixing spoons don’t get at the same thing at all)
Every time I’m asked how to deal with writer’s block (because it is one of the Stock Questions for Authors), I say the same thing: People who say writer’s block doesn’t exist might be right, but executive functioning issues/lack of spoons sure as hell do exist, and I can’t willpower through them to write any more than I could willpower through them to study in university.
