Writer’s Block. That haunting, terrifying, incredibly annoying disease writers seem to catch on a frequent basis. What is it? And how can you get past it?
Great questions. And I’m here to answer those for you. >:) Let us begin!
What is Writer’s Block?
One of my favorite quotes says, “Writer’s Block: when your imaginary friends won’t talk to you.” Honestly, that’s kinda true. Us authors have made up “imaginary” people to populate our books, and they are what is supposed to drive our stories. When they fall silent and refuse to work with you, it’s a problem.
(For those of you reading this who don’t think characters count as real people or think that authors are actually in control over their stories, try and write a novel real quick. Make sure to develop your characters – every one of them – with realistic fears, desires, hates, loves, friendships, pasts, memories, favorites, families, beliefs, pets, allergies, dreams, quirks, looks, etc. Then tell me they aren’t real. :P)
(Just kidding. Writing a book is too exhausting to do it just to prove something.)
*announcer voice* We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
Ergo, Writer’s Block is simply when the words just. won’t. come. You feel uninspired – whether for that particular story, or for your entire writings. And lemme tell you, that feeling is miserable. Especially when you know what you want to write: you’ve planned this scene out in your head millions of times and it just isn’t working for you. You feel stuck. And, oftentimes, this results in great books never being written.
It’s really kinda sad.
Defeating It
I’ve been writing for a long time now. I know Writer’s Block much better than I would like. However, all those times of staring at a blank screen and blinking cursor with no words in my mind have taught me a few things – nine things, actually.
1. Just. Write.
Yes, yes, I know it’s hard. Sometimes it takes minutes to type one single word - no joke. You feel like all your writing is a mess, like your prose is about as pretty as a rat’s tail, like your plot is going nowhere and your concept is boring.
Stick with it, valiant writer. You are a wielder of words, a penmaiden or master with a high and noble calling.
If the quest was easy, it would not be worth your time. ~Julianne Post
2. Take a Break
Now, I realize that sometimes just forcing yourself to write isn’t going to cut it. Sometimes you need to step back and take a breather. This could be taking a break from a specific project to write something else you feel inspired to write, or it could mean taking a break from all writing. It could be just stopping for the day, or only for fifteen minutes; or it could be taking six months to reevaluate your work.
Be careful with this, though – don’t use it as an excuse to never finish a project because you hit Writer’s Block somewhere in the middle. If you’re going to drop a project you were intending to finish, think long and hard about that choice. Breaking for long periods of time should be a last resort.
3. Switch Things Up
Write something new. Sit somewhere new. Write blindfolded.
I’m not joking. Sometimes when things are rough, all you need to do is tie a scarf around your tricksy eyeballs, or put a newspaper over your computer screen, or turn your font color the same color as your page. Why? For those of us who struggle with writing when you’re already ashamed of the line you just wrote, this can be a lifesaver. It forces you to focus on the next words instead of the typos and poor grammatical structure. You can’t edit a blank page.
As for writing something new, try a flash fiction. Or hop over to this website and literally force your fingers to type. (SPOILER ALERT: the stakes are high with this tool. Use at your own risk.) Try your hand at poetry or a new genre. Write an article instead of a story – or a story instead of an article. Compose an anthem for your world’s country, or a motto for your MC’s club. The options are endless.
And yes, sitting somewhere new can be really helpful. Sit at your kitchen table instead of your bedroom, or even outside instead of inside.
4. Start a Routine
Yep. Instead of switching things up, keep them the same. Write in the same place at the same time EVERY. DAY. This will start to force your brain to say, “Oh, look, we always write at this time in this place! *switches gears to Writing Gears*” This actually works! You can also do specific things – wear the same hat, like Jo in Little Women, or drink the same beverage – every time you write to help your brain get into that writing zone. Some say dressing up like your characters can also help you. Find a comfy place, goofy hat, and give it a go! 😉
5. Pray
Now I get that several of you reading this probably aren’t Christians – or, if you are, aren’t exactly the greatest with praying. But I’m serious. Simply reaching out to the one who wrote the greatest story, the best author of the entire universe, one who can answer literally any question, can be the lifesaver your story needs. Careful, though. God is not an invisible Santa Claus. Just because you ask for something doesn’t mean you’ll get it. 😉 Even if the words don’t start pouring from your fingertips as soon as you finish, giving yourself a moment to clear your head, breathe deep, and focus on something – someone – other than your story can be the push you need. 🙂
6. Find the Why
Why are you struggling with the Block in the first place? Is it boredom with your story? Distraction? Discouragement? Comparison? Drainage (more on that later)? Find the root and destroy it.
- If you’re bored, go make a character board or playlist, or talk about your book with a friend/pet/rock/yourself-in-the-mirror/whatever.
- If you’re distracted, turn off the internet and edit offline – or make a separate account on your device solely for writing, with no games or other apps unrelated to writing AT. ALL.
- If you’re discouraged, pop a comment down below and I’ll try and set fire to that passion again. Or go back and read some old writing to see how far you’ve come.
- If you’re comparing yourself to others, stop reading and get to work. Remind yourself that you have to start somewhere to get to where they are in their journey. Look back at old writing of yours and compare it to the writing you’re doing now. Watch your own journey, and comparison will fade into the background.
- If you’re drained, well, the next point will help with that.
7. Recharge your Mental Energy
Mental energy is critical for your creative health, not to mention other tasks you run into throughout your day. I didn’t even know this existed until a few months ago, but when I dove deep into it (special thanks to Josiah DeGraaf at The Young Writer’s Workshop for teaching me and so many others about this important factor), it changed my life, and that's not exaggerated. I might have to do an entire article on mental energy because it’s SO. COOL.
“Um… that’s all well and good,” you might be saying, “but I don’t even know what mental energy is. So… help?”
Simply put, mental energy is the energy (the motivation, the driving force) behind your actions every day. No, drinking a Monster or Red Bull isn’t going to give you this kind of energy. Activities can replenish or drain it, depending on the person. If you’re feeling absolutely stuck with your writing and just overall tired when you try to type those words out, a lack of mental energy might be your problem.
So how do you fix that?
This could take a while, but every day for a week, keep track of when you feel energized and when you don’t. Write down the activities you did just before your energy strike or lack thereof. Then review your list at the end of the week to find those activities that replenish your energy, and the ones that drain it. For me, writing is an activity that drains me. After I finish writing, I can’t really think straight – definitely not well enough to solve a complicated math problem. So, I tend to go for a walk, or have a snack, or hang out with friends, or do chores, because all of those activities replenish my mental energy, which fills me up for the next draining activity (usually school).
This isn't just helpful for writing, either. It revolutionized my life when I found out that I could have a consistent way to get my own energy without just waiting around for it to hit me. I've become more productive, happy, and responsible purely because of this tactic.
9. Seize a Vision
In case you haven’t read it, my “vision” for this blog and my entire writing journey is to strive to portray this world in all of its depravity (but portray it in a way suitable for a younger audience) so that I can better showcase the light Jesus offers us. I want to give hope. I want to inspire.
Sometimes, when I’m really stuck, I envision one reader. One girl or boy who picked up my book and maybe was the only one who was impacted by my words. Maybe they read one line over and over, surprised at how it impacts them or bares a lie they didn’t realize they believed.
One person who is changed by my words.
And I push on. For them.
What is your vision?
8. Use Comic Sans
I have yet to try this, but many writers swear by this. If you type out your stories and you get stuck, and you just. can’t. figure. it. out, switch your font to Comic Sans. I know it sounds ridiculous, but apparently Comic Sans just looks so crazy, so much like normal handwriting, that it stimulates some brain cells and helps you write faster. XD I have no idea if it works or not, so if you try this one, let me know how it goes!
Alrighty, that’s the end of this over-long article. 😉 What are your takeaways? How do you deal with Writer’s Block? Do you even get Writer’s Block? What was the most helpful tip on this list? How are you going to apply it?
Until next time,
Take heart, be courageous, and smile while you still have teeth!
-Joelle
Post inspired by this one by Annabelle Batie. Updated on September 1, 2023.
This was just what I needed to read right now as I work through writer's block (I think it's also because I fell in love with my story and I don't want to mess it up) Anyway....your posts here are always so fun and encouraging to read <333 Keep it up & God bless!!