Writing About Writer’s Block- Notes From The Editor

by SFT | May 14, 2025 | Notes From The Editor, St Francis

“Writing is easy. All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead,”

Gene Fowler.

Writer’s block is a strange beast. It sneaks up on you quietly, usually when you try your best to be productive. You sit down, full of noble intention. You open your laptop, crack your knuckles like you mean business, and… nothing. Just a vacant stare, maybe a twitch in the left eye, and a deep sigh that echoes through your soul.
Now try doing that in a place like St Francis Bay.

Salt In The Air

Sunshine, waves, the scent of salt in the air – paradise. Absolutely terrible for productivity. You’d think the ocean would inspire creativity. And it does, sometimes. But mostly, it whispers, “Come outside. The tide is perfect.” And suddenly, your plot arc is abandoned for a quick paddle out, and the idea of deadlines feels like someone else’s problem. So maybe writing about writer’s block is a way to a cure?

Even when you manage to start something—one brilliant, shimmering sentence—it often trails off into thoughts about beach walks, sandbanks, or what you’ll braai for dinner. Ideas start with fire and end in smoke. You find yourself googling “famous authors who wrote nothing for years but were lovely people and still turned out okay.”

Then there are the friends. Lovely people. Friendly. Chatty. Love a chat. Love to chit-chat. A lot. Happy to go on about anything for ages. Just want to yak. They always seem to arrive the moment you’re about to produce a line worthy of a Pulitzer. “Come grab a coffee,” they say, like caffeine and small talk are the missing keys to your creative soul. “I need to chat to you about something really important,” they add as if the muse can wait. “You look a bit pale,” they whisper, twisting the knife, probably imagining themselves helpful. Lovely people.

Metaphor about life

And so your productive writing day ends with sunburn, three decent waves, twenty-four blurry phone photos, a few beers at the beach, and maybe half a clichéd metaphor about life being like the sea—deep, mysterious, and constantly pulling you sideways.

Not your best work.

Because sometimes, stories don’t come from word counts and well-planned outlines. Sometimes, they come from the wind that never stops blowing, misheard conversations, or the way the light hits the water just before sunset.

Eventually, the block loosens. One word leads to another. Something clicks. And then, just when you’re finally in the zone – someone knocks on the door with a cold beer and a question about tomorrow’s swell forecast.

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Read more: Writer’s Block

Read more: Tsitsikamma Snow Dinosaur –  photo of the day by Clive Wright Photography