does anyone else out there suffer crippling writer’s block when around family members?
like, just them being in the same house as me totally throws off my groove. i can’t get anything done, and it doesn’t matter how many ideas i have or how inspired i am, unless i’m totally alone, i can’t get the words out. and it’s been worse lately since my grandma got frustrated with me because i have my headphones on when i work so i can concentrate and she’ll be talking to me and i won’t hear her because i’m plugged in, so now i’m super anxious about having my headphones on when anyone’s home, which makes it impossible to block out the sounds in the house, which include really irritating german waltz music and/or sports.
funnily enough, i don’t have this problem if i go to a coffee shop or a library to work. maybe it’s because in those places i know no one is going to disturb me or expect me to respond to them?
my favourite writing days are when i’m completely alone and i don’t have to constantly have an ear out (or an earphone out!) to make sure no one’s talking to me or walking up behind my while i work, or needs me for something. and even on days when i’m blocked for other reasons, if no one’s around, i somehow don’t feel as much as a failure then as i do when i’m blocked and people are home.
it sort of feels like when people around there is this expectation that if i’m going to be sitting down writing, then i had better produce something to justify sitting in my room typing away instead of socializing. it’s super anxiety-inducing and i currently have no way to deal with it. no libraries within easy travel distance, and the only coffee-shop that would be writer-friendly is Tim Horton’s, and that’s always packed with seniors doing socializing stuff.
Why do we not have more writers lounges in major cities? Like, with individual cubbies here you can write sitting up at a desk, or lying down on a futon/beanbag chair, and eat snacks if you want? (this is where they’d differ fro libraries, cuz you’re not supposed to eat at libraries) and there’d be a communal kitchenette where you could boil tea/coffee/hot chocolate, and maybe even a mini-library for looking stuff up if you want to stay unplugged and not get sucked into the internet?
I dunno, I’m just rambling now, but i’m seriously on edge. i have a project i have to finish this week, and i haven’t been able to concentrate at all because of the constant sense of being supervised and it is driving my bonkers! i’m seriously wondering if i should use my credit card and rent a place on airbnb for a week just to get some damn alone time.
