It seems inevitable that we experience times when the creative juices simply stop flowing. We feel like we have exhausted the potential of whatever groove we have been in and are seeking a new direction.

We want to do something different. But the brain simply refuses to offer up anything even remotely resembling inspiration. We tend to try and force new ideas into existence, but seem to produce increasingly unsatisfying results.

Writers have a name for this phenomenon. They call it writer's block. It's like those Chinese finger trap puzzles. The harder you pull, the tighter the thing grips. It's only when you relax and let go that you are able to free your fingers. Finally you just walk away in disgust and forget about the whole thing. You might stay away for a day or a week or a month or even longer. But sooner or later, you get relaxed and free of the block and one day you go back and pick up the tools and suddenly you are accomplishing exactly what you were trying so hard to do before. But this time it's flowing freely and naturally instead of being forced or contrived.

I don't think there is a creative person in the world, currently living or from another generation, who has not experienced this at one time or another. It seems to be an inherent part of the creative process.

D.D.