Once upon a time, I thought writer's block a myth. I'd just published a personal essay, which I wrote as if I were talking to my best friend. My words flowed effortlessly. The structure revealed itself during the first draft, and I unearthed my signature quirky voice—the writing voice I’d been fighting to reclaim since realizing just how much I had lost myself in parenting life.
I had achieved my goal. I felt like a writer again. I finally knew and recognized me again—that is, until I tried to write another article. I crashed into writer’s block, and I shattered.
I spent two weeks wrestling with fear, frustration, and doubt. No matter what I tried to write, I couldn’t express my ideas well enough. I distracted myself by focusing on backend tasks, and I took a lot of naps. Like so many other authors, I questioned what if I don’t have another story in me again. What if that article was a fluke?
Oh man, those initial thought monsters can quickly assemble an army. And that’s the crux of writer’s block: It’s fear and doubt suppressing our creativity. Now that we better understand the cause, here are 11 practical ways I have overcome writer's block:
1. Maintain your writing habit
Even when fear urges us to hide all pens and justify longer to-do lists, we have to keep writing to maintain the habit. Otherwise, getting back into the habit can be harder than defeating writer’s block, especially as those never-ending to-dos keep piling up. (Need help making time to write?)
However, don’t torture yourself either. If you’re in the midst of severe writer’s block, show up for just 10–20 minutes a day so that you give your muse the chance to reappear. It might surprise you.
Getting back into the habit can be harder than defeating writer’s block, especially as those never-ending to-dos keep piling up.
2. Brain dump again!
When inspiration dries up, brain dump again. Make a list of scenes you've daydreamed about, seeds of ideas that popped into your mind, or thoughts that made you wonder what if.
Also, remember that authors pull from real life, so add reoccurring thoughts, poignant memories, pivotal life moments, etc., that your characters might be ready to explore on your behalf.
Keep adding to this list, and you’ll always have ideas to explore. If none of those urge you to write now, it’s okay. Making the list still counts as showing up to maintain that writing habit.
3. Work on craft
If you keep writing, deleting, and rewriting the same paragraph day after day, step away from that project. Instead, work on one small piece of your craft.
For example, practice establishing a setting: Imagine a room (or google images), and write about what you see, smell, taste, touch, and hear in that room. Interview a new character and explore their dialogue. Or describe the person ordering Starbucks before your turn, the child learning to ride their bike, or the moment your favorite mug shattered in the sink.
In essence, focus on finishing just “one short assignment:”
Say to yourself in the kindest possible way, Look honey, all we’re going to do for now is to write a description of the river at sunrise, or the young child swimming in the pool at the club, or the first time the man sees the woman he will marry. That is all we are going to do for now. […] But we are going to finish this one short assignment.”
— Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
4. Know you’ll find another story that will inspire you again
Writer’s block may feel like a creative death sentence, but it’s not.
Remember the little engine that could? Choose to be that train now. Keep reminding yourself you can do this and that eventually you’ll get over the mountain again.
Affirmations win the race.
5. Write about your fears, stress, anxiety, etc.
After writing, deleting, and repeating that cycle for seven days, I turned to my journal. I spewed on the page all my fears and frustration regarding my sudden inability to write a single paragraph to my liking. That journal entry turned into the first draft of this article.
After you offload all the negative thoughts holding you back, take a deep breath. Let go of those emotions, and shift into your logic brain (see next tip).
6. Shift into logic brain
After you let your emotional brain voice its concerns (see previous tip), write down the advice you’d give a friend, the steps you’d tell them to take, and pick one to do next—something so simple that failing is impossible.
I have my logic brain to thank for this article. Once I expunged the negative emotions trapped inside me, I asked myself, “Erin, what advice would you give your clients or friends?” That question enabled me to show up here and keep moving forward. I know you can too.
You can access your logic brain by listing facts that prove your writer’s block is temporary. For example, if you wrote one chapter, that means you can do it again. If you’ve yet to finish a first draft, what projects or tasks have you completed? How did you complete those? By focusing on one short assignment at a time, asking for help, or identifying resources?
In short, focus on how, not if, and find examples from your past when you succeeded. Apply those lessons to your next writing project.
In short, focus on how, not if, and find examples from your past where you succeeded. Apply those lessons to your next writing project.
7. Read other’s work for motivation
Read, read, read. If I can’t write, then I read. As Virginia Woolf said, “Read a thousand books and your words will flow like a river.”
Or watch TV. Hell, I got the idea for my first book series when I watched Return of the King, and I cried at the thought of the elves leaving Middle Earth. I was certain mankind would do much better with the elves influence. (Sounds a lot like my current published series, The Elves of Aerytol, doesn't it?)
Anyway, the point is that we should always be reading the genres that inspired us in the first place. Chances are, they'll inspire us yet again.
8. Return to your big why
One of the questions I ask my clients is why this book? What about this story calls to them? What message are they aching to explore and share with the world? If you know why you need to tell a particular story, you won't lose your way. You'll create intrinsic motivation.
For me, I started my first podcast as a means to help parents, including myself, find our voices again. Likewise, I created this website to help aspiring authors know the sheer joy of publishing their books. So while I plan to write more novels myself, this article brings me back to my big why too.
Once I remembered that, I knew what I had to write next.
9. Find a writing or journaling prompt
I prompted my readers to write about a favorite Christmas moment, and it triggered a whole story in me I didn’t know I needed to tell.
Take the pressure off yourself to choose a story. You may surprise yourself.
During my last free 5-day journaling challenge, I prompted my audience to write about a favorite Christmas moment, and it triggered an entire story in me I didn’t know I needed to tell. But the writing didn't come effortlessly at first.
Even though that prompt spoke to me when I initially chose it, the prompt no longer appealed to me when I sat down to write. Still, I wanted to complete the journaling challenge, so I trudged along. After I wrote two hollow paragraphs, my thoughts flooded my pen, and I could barely keep up with the onslaught of ideas. Sometimes, we just need help to get going.
10. Change it up
When I say change it up, I mean more than from a desk to a couch or from your living room to a café (although that helps too). Change up the type of writing.
I feared writing another creative, quirky personal essay, so instead I focused on a how-to article. Not only have I gotten past my will-I-ever-write-again hump, but I’ve also created something (I hope) will help other writers too. Double win.
Similarly, if writing another chapter or scene for your current WIP feels too hard, try something completely different. As my former mentor Dayna Abraham says, “Give yourself permission to experiment and have fun.”
11. Sign up for a writing challenge, workshop, or class
Don’t underestimate the support and enthusiasm of others, especially mentors. Find people who kindle your passion for creativity and who will hold you accountable. The best writing challenges, workshops, and classes I’ve taken have taught me to further discover and believe in my passions, my abilities, my purpose, and myself.
Seek out and take advantage of opportunities such as these.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, 11 ways to smash through writer’s block. Ultimately, believe in yourself, your ideas, your experience, and your unique contribution to the world. We all have stories to share, and yours are equally important. Someone out there is waiting to hear from you, to connect with you, so get started.
I believe in you.
Featured photo by Reuben Juarez on Unsplash
