The History of Literature Podcast is a member of the Podgolomorate Network and LIT Hub Radio.

Hello, it's a tale as old as time, a writer struggling with the blank page or the blank parchment or the blank

clay tablet. Rest assured if there was a writer who was who was using a stick to draw some hieroglyphics in the sand,

there was probably a writer sitting right next to him who was staring at the sands,

blocked. Desperate, she turned to the gods for help. We can look back

5,000 years to the goddess Nisaba who was there to help the ancient Sumerians

with their creative process.

Nisibah was also the goddess of the harvest.

And it's hard not to enjoy the parallel there.

Writing when it's going well is like an overabundant feast.

But trying to write in an era of famine feels desperate and deadly.

Today we don't have the same relationship. desperate and deadly.

Today we don't have the same relationship with the gods,

we don't look to Nisiba,

although we might still seek divine inspiration

just as we might credit bouts of creativity to divine intervention.

Anne Patchet said that sometimes it felt like her muse had gone out for a smoke.

Stephen King said, amateur writers wait for inspiration, professional ones, just get to work.

But what does getting to work mean?

If one is blocked, what can you do? What does getting to work mean?

If one is blocked, what can one do?

Just write poorly?

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