Pohl on Better Writing Through Self Medication

SF luminary Frederik Pohl blogs about breaking writer’s block through applied pharmacology. Excerpts:

Back in the day when Cyril Kornbluth and I were writing books like The Space Merchants and Gladiator-at-Law, we had an idea for an experiment. The writing was going pretty well, as it usually did, but we were not content to leave well enough alone.

The papers had been full of stories about new pharmaceuticals called Benzedrine and Dexedrine, which sometimes appeared to help people stay awake and work longer and better. So one of us -- I don’t remember which -- said to the other, "I wonder if they would do anything for writers," and the other one said, "Dunno. Let’s find out." …

The words came out, and when I had filled four pages I went downstairs to where Cyril was having a cup of coffee and reading the morning’s Times to tell him that the experiment was promising. Then he did his stint and, when it was over, reported that he thought so, too. …

So the book got finished, and handed over to the publisher. And Cyril went home to Levittown, and I got on with some work of my own. And in the fullness of time, perhaps six months or more later, I hit that terrifying thing they call writers’ block. … [I]t suddenly occurred to me that I might have a better idea [for working through the block], because Cyril and I hadn’t used up all our Dexedrine. There was enough for a more extensive trial in the medicine chest in the third floor bathroom.

Read the whole thing -- especially before you become convinced that controlled substances can save you from writerly woe. During my college days, I remember a guy trying to sell me on the idea that marijuana would make me "really creative, man. It’s the key to art!" All I could do was laugh. Sniffing, swallowing or inhaling to make your troubles go away is like taking a machete to your ankle because you stubbed your toe.

(Picture: CC 2008 by psyberartist)