Beating Writer's Block
There's no "one-size-fits-all" solution to writer's block, but here's what works for me
I used to think writer’s block meant you were having trouble getting started with a piece of writing. Lately, I’ve realized writer’s block appears in different ways and in different parts of the writing process
Staring at a blank page waiting for inspiration to strike is definitely a form of writer’s block. But writer’s block is also revising the same sentence over and over again for an hour. It’s returning to something you wrote, realizing it isn’t as good as you remember, and getting so discouraged you give up entirely. It’s the anxiety that people who hate writing feel when they think back to terrible experiences they had in their high school English class.
Writer’s block is any feeling that keeps us from writing. Since there’s no such thing as “standard” writer’s block, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution either. This means I can’t give you any fail-safe methods for “fixing” writer’s block. I can only tell you what works for me.
You can write in a different medium. If you’re typing, switch over to pen and paper. If you’re already using pen and paper, make an audio recording. This is my favorite method for dealing with the self-editing trap, which is when the tendency to over-edit your own work gets in the way of writing anything new.
You can read something. When I’m not sure what I’m trying to say, I read another book or article on the subject. Reading other people’s work helps me clarify what I’m trying to say in my own. It also gives me new ways to navigate the topic, because I can write about how I agree with so-and-so or how two particular authors should be read together.
You can change your location. Some places are bad for writing. They’re too distracting, or they’re not distracting enough. Try mixing it up. If you usually write in public, seek out solitude. If you tend to write in your room alone, find a good coffee shop.
You can find other examples. I am always looking for new models of the kind of writing I would like to do. When I’m writing in an unfamiliar genre or I’m still figuring out my methodology, these examples become “mentor texts” that help me identify the rhetorical maneuvers I should be making in my own writing.
You can start another project. Focusing on something else for awhile gives your unconscious an opportunity to work stuff out on its own. Best case scenario, the two projects end up being connected in ways you never imagined. But at the very least, you can return with a fresh set of eyes when you’re feeling more energized.
You can talk to someone. Writing is a team sport. If you’re stuck, sharing the project with someone else will help you see your work from a new perspective. Brainstorming with other people can also be very energizing and will give you a much-needed boost when the work starts to drag.
You can introduce new constraints. Most people think of constraints as the antithesis of creativity but, if you’ve done other kinds of creative work, you already know there’s nothing more inhibiting than total freedom. That’s why it’s often easier to write something when you’re working on a deadline or have to hit a specific word count.
You can walk away. Sometimes people feel like they have to keep going with something because they’ve invested lots of time in it. But some projects are just too draining, frustrating, or tedious to finish. It’s okay to set a project aside if you’re not enjoying the work anymore. You can always return to it later.
Every writer experiences writer’s block. They experience it differently, but they do experience it. The trick is having more than one strategy for dealing with it.
Good luck with your writing!