The Novel Cure: Literary prescriptions for writer's block

 

Ella Berthoud,Susan Elderkin,Bibliotherapists
Wednesday 09 July 2014 12:18 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Ailment: Writer's block

Cure: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

For an ailment that can hit at any time, and persist for years – if not a lifetime – if left untreated, it is a travesty that modern medicine has so far failed to come up with a reliable cure for writer's block. Those afflicted will know only too well how its onset triggers a host of other ailments, including shattered dreams, marital tension, and financial ruin – not to mention the loss to the world of what might have issued from your pen. Do not despair, however. A simple but effective cure can be found in the pages of this charming novel of genteel eccentricity, set in England between the wars.

As his name suggests, Mortmain has been unable to put pen to paper since an unfortunate incident involving a next-door neighbour and a cake knife landed him behind bars for three months. While his three children and ethereal wife Topaz struggle to feed and clothe themselves, and the castle crumbles around them, Mortmain drifts around reading detective novels and staring into space. He has ditched all his friends and more or less stopped talking to his family. Eventually, responsible Rose, the elder daughter, decides she'll have to marry her way out of poverty and becomes engaged to a man she does not love. It's the younger, wiser Cassandra who realises that the solution lies not in self-sacrifice, but by forcing their father's writing hand.

Her complicated cure works like a dream. We can't disclose exactly what she does, for to do so would be to give away the plot. And in any case the remedy she inflicts wouldn't work if you knew it was coming. But read between the lines, and a fuller picture emerges of how Mortmain's creative juices are gradually unstemmed. Finish the novel, then gather around you the ingredients for your own blockbusting kit: among other things, a person of like mind, someone else to do the cooking, and an Encyclopaedia Britannica. Trust us.

thenovelcure.com

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in