Empty Minds

Lord Byron once wrote: "If I don't write to empty my mind, I go mad." This is a writer's dilemma. While writing can empty the mind of pestering thoughts and fears, the mind can also present itself as empty too often when writing is desired. Byron's approach to writing is a panacea for stress. It's why we journal and write letters to the editor and blog. There is a deep human need to express ourselves, be heard, and let off a little steam. That's the good end of the stick. The bad end is the one writers face much more often - having nothing to write. This is when a writer's true mettle comes into play. When faced with a blank page and a seemingly empty mind, writers can either cave in to writer's block or choose to go deeper. How can you go deeper when you're already empty? The answer is almost too simple - just begin writing. What writers must learn to do is trust their creative minds to wander the labyrinths of what appears to be thoughtlessness and find meaning. This may require some staring, some starting and stopping, even some nonsensical writing. But hang in there. It will all lead to something, and most likely something more profound than you imagined could exist in an empty mind. This is because our minds are never truly empty. They just seem that way sometimes because they're on idle. But given a prompt and a little persistence, our wonderful creative minds can deliver. So Lord Byron might have needed to empty his mind for his sanity, but our greatest challenge as writers is to never give up plumbing the depths of our minds, even when they're silent, to discover the inevitable surprises that lie within.