Tips for curing writer’s block
Image: Steve Johnson on Unsplash
‘Why should writers be the only profession that gives a special name to the difficulty of working, and then expects sympathy for it?’
– Phillip Pullman
As a professional writer I occasionally get stuck with that dreaded affliction called writer’s block – the feeling of being stuck and unable to write. Most writers experience this feeling at some point, and it can last for anywhere from minutes to years.
The main causes of writer’s block are:
anxiety or fear – the fear of failure, being judged or receiving negative feedback
perfectionism – agonising over the words to the point of paralysis
lack of inspiration or motivation – feeling distracted, not in the mood, or having trouble coming up with new ideas
external stressors – feeling stress or time pressure, particularly if there’s a hard deadline.
Strategies to avoid writer’s block
You can cultivate good habits to help you avoid writer’s block.
Follow a routine. Consistency can train your brain to be more creative during scheduled writing times.
Minimise distractions. Find a quiet place, turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs and clear your workspace.
Set a schedule and goals. Set small, achievable goals, like writing a certain number of words within a certain timeframe. Schedule in breaks – time management software can help you with this.
Don’t try for perfection in the first go. Writing and editing are separate processes. Doing both at the same time actually slows you down. Get your ideas down first and save the editing for later.
Reading or watching other people’s work can inspire you and give you new ideas.
How to deal with writer’s block when it happens
I’ve developed a few strategies to overcome moments of writer’s block. These work for me almost every time. Funnily enough, these strategies look a lot like procrastination. The trick is to set yourself a time limit. Don’t let the solution become the problem!
Freewrite: Freewriting is a great way to unblock. Start writing whatever comes to mind. It could be complete rubbish, but don’t worry – you can rewrite it later. If you get stuck, type in a few asterisks where you’ve drawn a blank, and keep going.
Take a break. Step away and do something completely different for a while. You’ll continue thinking through your writing problem, and a way forward will pop into your mind.
Switch tasks. Do something different that progresses the work – research, references, or switch to a different section.
Writer’s block is temporary, but it may take some time to overcome it. Be patient. And don’t give up! The more you write, the easier it gets and the better you get at dealing with writer’s block when it happens.