Harrynomics

Writer's block - It is the time that all writers dread. When suddenly you are looking at the computer screen or at the piece of paper and nothing comes out. You could be there sitting for an hour, just staring blankly at the screen or doodling in the corner of the page. What you have already written is there and you know in your head where you want the story to go. But there is nothing coming out. A few words, an unfinished sentence. But overall, nothing is actually being added.

And I become absolutely miserable when it happens. For me, writer's block puts me in one foul mood. I do not care about the world or what is going on, all I can think of is my own personal frustration.

A lot of you may say, why be upset, it is only writing. Well, let me tell you it is crippling not to be able to write. Similar to an athlete who has been injured. You can tell that athlete to rest, but that person wants to get back on his/her feet as quickly as possible. Likewise for me, I want to get writing as quickly as possible. It's like being on a treasure hunt knowing that you've buried something in the garden, but are completely unable to find it. It is not as if I am out of ideas, just of a way of expressing them in a clear way for everyone else to enjoy.

If I knew a method in which to cure writer's block, I would bottle it and sell it for a fiver, and that would be a way to riches. Unfortunately, I don't. I have to ride it out. Most of the time, it only lasts a couple of weeks, but at times it has lasted for a couple of months. These events are uncontrollable. And unfair - I hate it when the block comes on, but I got to lump it and continue doing other things.

The joys of radio, how today, even after all this time, there is still something magical about switching on the wireless and receiving something completely unexpected when station surfing.  It is something that has remained since childhood, listening to all the new music and the wittiness that were spouted out.  And with the internet, the possibilities have become endless.  Want to listen to Capital FM, in Nairobi?  Why not, just type it into your web browser.  If anything can revel in the delights of the internet, surely it is radio.

However, it is in the niche stations that are especially satisfying.  First, the liberalisation of radio licences by the government in the 90’s gave many areas, especially within London a chance to shine through.  The internet has given many of these stations a more solid base with which to press forward in their search for an audience.  In many cases. the internet proves vital in staying afloat.

More choice has meant the big boys have had to struggle with the onslaught.  Some have prospered, some have fallen, but for the listener it is a win/win situation.  If you don’t like what you hear, it is far easier to switch to something else.  Finding a good radio station after a period of searching is as satisfying as being the first to complete one of the treasure hunts you used to do as a child. The radio stations now have to work hard for our attention and why not, the choice has given us a depth that can rarely be matched in any other medium.
 
Long may the revolution in radio continue.  Let the airwaves ring clear with the throngs of a multitude of radio stations.  Let the listeners liberate the sounds that they hear.  A multitude of styles and languages awaits the adventurous listener with an easy finger and a taste for something new.  The dial awaits and the mouse will do your bidding so go ahead and have some fun with the radio.