The Blank Page Doesn’t Scare Me by Hugh Tipping
Let’s welcome back columnist Hugh Tipping as he shares with us “The Blank Page Doesn’t Scare Me.” Enjoy!
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The blank page. (dum-dum-DUM!)
The Problem
To many, the field of white elicits a sensation of dread. Countless pieces have been written about how it feels to stare at the blank page and worry and panic. Oh, the intimidation of the vast nothingness, the fear of “potential,” the infinity that overwhelms. No guide rails on the highway!
No wonder people get scared.
Yes, it can be tough starting from nothing. Starting itself is a struggle for many, myself included.
The Reframing
Instead of the fear, I choose to look at the blank page differently, the same way I think differently about the concept of writer’s block. I won’t subscribe to the fears and obstacles others suffer. I choose to reframe it.
The blank page is not an enemy leering at me.
It is a canvas, waiting patiently for me. It is the space for my world, a plot of land on which to build whatever I want. It is the freedom to start without something that came before that could limit where I want to go now. It is a fresh start.
I can try new things without constraint (or WITH constraints if I like), and experiment with styles and patterns. I can put anything I want on it, with potential as inspiration, not adversary, to be realized.
The Process
Let it be blank, I tell myself, until I have reached a creative critical mass and the energy of the words starts to flow. Perhaps I can even bring forth my muse by offering this clean set of linens to lay upon.
Think of all the work you have done before.
At each point, it started off as a blank page, and see what it became.
You already know that the blank page was nothing to fear but was your foundation, your catalyst. You start at “zero” and then you add.
How do you think you can approach the blank page differently next time?
Write in the comments below. Thanks!
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Hugh Tipping is a native of New York City. He spends his days as a techie and his nights as a writer of fantasy and poetry. More about him here: https://linktr.ee/htipping.
