Writer’s Block & Ways to Combat It
Writer’s block at times can feel physical, like a wall that doesn’t allow you to see to the other side and muffles all sound. Maybe you can make out a word here and there but no full sentences get through. It’s the bain of the writer’s existence, always blanking minds and stilling fingers. It sounds like the mystery monster in a novel–invisible and taking victims unawares. And though it can make things feel dismal, it’s not incurable.
Writer’s block, when it comes down to it, is a mental battle. It can stem from fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and insecurity. Of course it could always be all of the above, there’s not a specific way in which writer’s block hits, but normally it’s during the writing process and not necessarily in finding a topic to write about. It is also not only for the writers tackling novel length projects, or novices specifically.
One thing about writer’s block, is that it’s indiscriminate. It’ll affect the student trying to write a discussion board just as strongly as it’ll affect the veteran author on their tenth book. Ironically, it’ll also hit the blog writer writing about writers block (say that ten times fast). But it’s not unbeatable, and there are a few ways to combat it.
One way is to take a break. Instead of staring at a blank page or rereading the last line over and over again, step away for a moment. Take a walk. This can help you clear your mind and eventually return with a clearer perspective.
In the opposite lane you can just power through and write. The important thing with this approach is to not focus on how “good” what you’re writing is. The point is to just have something on the page that can help you power through until you are able to write without feeling blocked. Sometimes that feeling of the first draft needing to be perfect is what’s causing the issue. It’s when you embrace the imperfection and allow yourself to simply write that can help those walls to break open. Leave the questions of whether you should use a comma or a semicolon for the next draft.
Another option is still to write, but something different. The change in track can be enough to pull you out of the block. Again, it doesn’t have to be good, you just have to put something on the page. You can change to another project, or if you have no other projects then simply going out and writing what you see can help–this can also help with the stress that may happen when you just can’t think of what to write. Just narrating the things happening at your local coffee shop could be enough to get the creativity flowing again.
Writing is a process, and though I’m sure we all would wish it was nothing but smooth sailing, at times the seas can be choppy. Having a few techniques to help get through a struggle can never hurt. Of course, everyone's process is different, so take what works for you and ignore the rest. Finding the best process can be trial and error, and not everyone’s going to get the same outcome. Though I do hope that these tips helped you in the same way they helped me.
Author: by Ally Rankin.
Ally is a beloved part of the Flying Cow Fam. She manages our Lubbock, TX store with her BFF Atlas (shop pup!), who is usually found snoozing in the back. She got her Bachelors degree from Texas Tech where she majored in English and minored in Technical Communications. And when she’s not creating content, managing her team, or writing blogs, she can usually be found making a new cup of coffee–she promises it’s not a problem.