Overcoming Writer's Block

Writer’s block is every writer’s nightmare. It can come seemingly out of nowhere, and it does not discriminate. It can affect writers at any stage of whatever they’re working on. And though some may argue as to when it’s worst (not being able to start writing can be a confidence killer, and yet what can be more frustrating than having already started something, and then just losing all sight and inspiration?), it’s always an annoying road block. However, just because writer’s block trips you up, it doesn’t mean that your work is ruined. Although there is no definitive “cure,” this article aims to help you out of this rut with various explanation and exercises to try.
There are many possible reasons why people experience writer’s block. A possibly endless number if each individual reason is taken into account. However, the following are some common ones:
-Distraction. If every time you sit down to write, you think of other things you “should” be doing, it will probably restrict your creative capabilities. Although worrying about other responsibilities can hamper anyone’s flow, there is an obvious fix: do whatever it is that you can’t take your mind off of. Pay the bills, wash the car, write a letter to Great Aunt Gert, whatever. And then, when the task is complete, tell yourself you accomplished what needed to be done, and then set aside some time to write.
-Excessive Self-Criticism. Having goals and high expectations for yourself is great, but if they’re hindering your ability to write, then it’s time to rethink them. Unrealistic expectations can lead to frustration and writer’s block. It is not reasonable to expect everything you write to be amazingly perfect the first time you write it; this is what editing and revising are for. If this seems to be your problem, there are a few things you can do. First, take a break and remind yourself that your first draft is, after all, only a draft, and that it’s not supposed to be perfect. Then, sit down and just write. Whether it’s a short story, essay, or chapter, just write whatever comes to mind. Don’t worry about how crazy or “bad” it is. This will hopefully get some creative juices flowing, and when you’re done, you can take a look at whatever you’ve written and perhaps even use or revise some of it. If nothing else, it has warmed you up to start writing and has gotten the “needs to be perfect” jitters out of they way.
-Writing what you “should.” This complication affects you when you are trying to write in a particular genre or style because it is “popular” or what you think you “should” be writing. However, just because it is popular does not mean you should do it (after all, if all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you? Sorry, couldn’t resist…). This can be an easy trap to fall into. After reading some immensely popular book, you think to yourself, hey, that was a great story. I bet I could do something similar and sell a million copies too. The problem with this is that a) it might not be—and probably isn’t—that easy, and b) you are essentially planning to write a knock off story. That’s not really what you want—you want a story that you truly wrote and that shows off your unique style and strengths. In this case, you should think about what you’re writing, and why. If it’s not something you love or are passionate about, perhaps you should consider setting it aside for a bit, and working on something you are familiar with and love.
However, if these three reasons don’t explain your lack of creativity and inspiration, there are still tings you can try to spark an onslaught of (hopefully) writing genius.
-Brainstorm/outline. This exercise may help if you’re fuzzy about what exactly you’re writing about or where the story is going. Plotting out a story line, even if it’s just in your head, or is just a rough idea, may help get you started.
-Talk to others. This can include anyone from your friends and family to a writing group. This technique may help in more than one way; first, hearing yourself talk about your idea may clear up or trigger some kind of inspiration, while the person or people you talk to may provide some valuable feedback or bring up a point that you may not have considered.
-Start wherever you want. If you are having trouble starting, consider moving onto a different part of the story that interests or intrigues you more. If you’re telling the story, who’s to say where it has to start? Of course, when you’re done you can always go back and add the beginning you had originally envisioned.
-Take a break. You may be stressing yourself out or drying up your creative wells by forcing yourself to write. So walk away for a little bit, and give your brain a rest. After a while, take another stab at it. Additionally, if you’re working on a computer, try writing on plain old paper, or vice versa. If you always write in the same spot and you’re in a rut, try moving to a different area for a brief period.
Although none of these ideas are guaranteed, hopefully they will spark a creative flood of sorts. If none of these works for you, there are numerous other writing exercises out there geared toward helping you overcome writer’s block. To find some of these, look online. And remember, no matter how silly the reason or the exercise, if it helps, then it’s successful.