When Writer's Block Becomes a Brick Wall

I'd like to welcome my good friend and an awesome writer, Pamela June Kimmell. I first became acquainted with Pam after her first book, The Mystery of David's Bridge, was released. I love the way she brings the characters to life, and I've been waiting eagerly for the sequel to see what wonderful adventures Bailey will have. You can read more about Pam at www.pamelajunekimmell.com or visit her charming and entertaining blog at www.onespoiledcat.wordpress.com. She is also an amazing artist who has some of her artwork and photography on display at her website. I always use her note cards for those special "Thank You's" all published authors must continually write.


First of all, thanks to my dear friend Trish Terrell for inviting me to write a guest blog here. There were so many things that came to mind to write about, I had difficulty narrowing it down but the “top of mind” thing was passing on my experience with long-term writers block. It wasn’t really “block” as much as “brick wall” in my case!

We all have experienced writers block in varying degrees. I got my worst case of it when I had to go through a year's worth of chemo, which seemed to wipe out all desire to write or be creative in ANY way. That was hard for me because I’m a writer and an artist yet I had no desire to do either of those - I just wanted to stay in bed. Strangely, it took me about three years before I finally crawled back into the saddle and gave it a whirl again, and it was my artwork which pulled me through.

I started a note card business with my oil paintings and drawings and began to become interested again in being creative. It felt good. It felt right. But still, writing was a problem for me. I’d started a mystery series for my publisher with the first book being published in 2006 to moderate success. I had people asking me when the second book would be out - nice feeling isn’t it?! I started the book then became ill. Every time I opened up the manuscript file I just couldn’t write. It was miserable! I was going to lose my audience - who would wait forever when there are so many great books out there?

A good friend of mine who is an exceptional watercolorist and writer sent me an email one day telling me she had decided to write a children’s book. She sent me a few of the poems from the book and they were just so adorable and I realized what FUN it would be to write for kids. I’ve always loved reading to kids and watching their expressions as they follow the story.

I decided to write some short stories, try them out on my next door neighbor’s two little boys, and even illustrate the stories with my own pen/ink/watercolor sketches. Know what? I had a blast writing them. Kids have wonderful imaginations and writing TO that imagination has been a totally fun journey for me. It also got me over my seemingly impenetrable writers block. It’s great to be back and I can hardly wait to have my book in print this Fall.

Next challenge…….finally finishing the second book of my mystery series, which began with The Mystery of David's Bridge. The message in my story here is DO NOT GIVE UP. It may take way longer than you ever thought it would - or it may be awesomely temporary - but writers block is not the towering wall we allow it to be sometimes!



Pamela June Kimmell, Writer and Artist
Author of “The Mystery of David’s Bridge”
http://pamelajunekimmell.com/
http://onespoiledcat.wordpress.com/