by Douglas Clark
For a writer, the blank page can be the greatest nemesis of
all. That uniformly white, unblemished, perfectly clear white page,
simultaneously open to all and every story possibility, and the great oblivion of
nothingness. Think of it. With nothing there to guide or hinder the writer,
everything is possible, and yet, there’s nothing to go off of, nothing to
expand on, or describe. Sometimes, the blank page can be a hollow, terrifying
void that stifles creativity and imagination because it is so open and
unstructured.
I hate the blank page, but I don’t fear it.
I have fought great battles with the blank page, smearing
all sorts of junk and babbling drivel all over it, simply to avoid the blinding
white light staring back at me from my computer screen. I’ve had great story
ideas explode from my mind only to be obliterated by the blank page, which
laughed at me for my insolence in thinking I could write something of merit.
Although other times, I’ve slayed the blank page with commanding prose and mind
blowing descriptions that banished the dreaded white nothingness to the
background, where it belongs.
What I’ve learned from the blank page is this: It is only
the starting point, and nothing more.
Not all of the stories I write, or ideas that I have will
pan out. Some will turn into great stories, others will be abandoned because of
a myriad of reasons. But think of it, each story, masterpiece and piece of
crap, all started out from that blank page. Yes, the blank page can be frightening,
but it is where EVERY writer starts from. Think of that! Shakespeare, Dickens,
Hemmingway, Heller, Orwell, Byatt, Browning, Keats, King, Martin, Clancy,
Rowling; they all started at the exact same place as Clark: with a blank page.
If they can go on to write and publish great works, so can
I! And so can you.
Hate the Blank page. Slay it like the demon it is. Banish it. Exile it to
irrelevance behind your unique voice through the written word. Destroy the
blank page’s pristine white blandness with wonderfully brilliant prose that
explodes with dazzling color in your readers’ minds. Become the master of the
blank page. Hate it, but never fear it!
Write!
Thanks for reading.
Questions and Comments are welcome.
