Writer's Block

After reading over an articles on Theatre Notes, I composed this blurb as a reflection on the topic of writer's block. The original article was commenting on writer's writing about writer's block and whether such a cultural phenomenon really existed. Such a rant in response that deserved to re-appear here in a slightly edited version

I was wondering whether writer's block was more a matter of a personal psychological perception rather than a universal clinical condition. If someone identifies their predicament as writer's block, then is it not writer's block because they identity it as so and that is enough.

I'm sure the term brings up different connotations for different people but is writer's block just one name for some one's struggle / inability to successfully express and communicate some unknown ideas or stories despite their desire to say something.

Whilst I've know some people who write / paint/ create/ like turning a tap on and off, I'm quietly jealous of this instant flow of creativity. I have "this friend" who finds the physical act of sitting down and starting to actually put pen to paper / fingers on keyboard the most difficult part of the writing process. "My friend" needs to get on a roll, to build up some momentum, get confident, to be in "the zone" before the writing flows. Sometimes "the zone" is just around the corner with a big flashing light and rock music blaring but other times, the zone has disappeared off the map and can not located despite the most aggressive and intensive search. Maybe, upon reflection "this friend's" inability to get into the zone is another way of saying writer's block

Okay, to get back to my original thought, I was wondering about the possibility of how a play about a playwright could be engaging if you focused on the conflict and tension behind the writer's block - the reasons?. "My friend" often gets so worked up about the disappearance of the zone that he becomes afraid to look for it in fear of another disappointment.

I reckon we could set a blog challenge to "wright" the good short monologue about a writer's block - a Tropfest for playwrights?