Writer's Block is a Myth
Photo by Amy Harrison on Unsplash
Writer’s block is a tale as old as time. It is a term whispered in passing, usually accompanied by a sense of sadness or defeat. It is a great excuse note for homework assignments and loosely agreed upon deadlines. But what exactly is writer’s block? Does it even exist at all?
In a similar fairytale, writers are sold the dream that thoughts will come flowing from their mind and spill out of the tip of their pen endlessly. But the truth lies somewhere in between. As a writer, I have an ‘on’ switch that can be activated allowing me to really get into the “zone”. Sometimes it comes on by itself, sometimes it is at the coaxing of a friend asking for help with a project, and sometimes — like any skill — I have to manually turn it on. Whether I am writing for work, school, or pleasure the same basic muscle is activated. As with other literal muscles, I’ve got to work it out in order to keep it strong. Similarly, I won’t get anything out of it if I never start the exercise at all. The words may not be perfect or pretty, but I write them anyway and work out the kinks later. More often than not, I already know exactly what I want to say; I just don’t feel like doing the work to get there.
I have a secret: I have never written down a thought and regretted it.
The sensation or experience of supposed writer’s block could likely be an indication of needing to do something else. Maybe you need to step away and return later with a fresh perspective. Or maybe a little more life needs to be lived. We’ve probably all heard at least once the piece of advice to “write what you know.” The more you live, experience, feel, and learn the more you can bring to the drawing board. I view this similarly to the way I view songwriters taking breaks between their albums to experience life, love, or heartbreak in order to come back with a new energy and theme for future projects.
The elephant in the room is that writer’s block can also often be chalked up to procrastination disguised as lack of inspiration. As a writer, or someone working in any creative field for that matter, it will be important to explore the source of the procrastination. It could range from imposter syndrome to procrastination to lack of passion. Or it may be indicative of something else going on in your life that may need to be addressed first. Either way, if writing is the issue, the cure is to write.
So, now that we’ve debunked the myth of writer’s block, what are some tools to overcoming these mental blocks? Going back to the concept of writing what you know, it may prove helpful to think about daily practices and processes that come naturally to you such as your morning routine, preparing your favorite cup of tea, or getting your child ready for school. As a writer, practice bringing that sense of confidence, muscle memory, and familiarity to your writing. Journaling is also a tried and true way to reactivate your creativity. I find myself most inspired after taking some time to journal whatever naturally flows through my mind. More often than not, once those thoughts have been cleared from your mind and have found a home on paper (or tablet), you now have more mental capacity to dedicate whatever writing assignment you were previously feeling disconnected from.
Lastly, writing prompts are our friends. It seems as though writing prompts are overlooked or forgotten but they are a great tool for writers of all levels and stages. Depending on your genre or medium of choice you can find writing prompts that cater to your brainstorming needs. GG Renee Hill, for example, will periodically provide a whole month’s worth of writing prompts via her Instagram. Her prompts are the perfect balance of specific yet vague, allowing writers to take whatever direction they’d like. Think of writing prompts as fun exercises that get the creative juices flowing! When you flex the muscle of putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) the rest will figuratively and literally work itself out - slowly, but surely.
Interested in help with writer’s block? We will host a PTW Masterclass lead by LySaundra Campbell on March 12th 11am-1pm ET. Register HERE.
Cierra Bundy is a graduate student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She currently lives in Fairfax, VA where she will soon begin counseling. When she is not studying, working, or freelance writing she is rewatching tv shows, visiting DC often - likely for a concert, and planning her next vacation. You can find her primarily on Instagram @dearcierra