Are You Using Writer’s Block as an Excuse?

Nothing makes a writer happier than a steady stream of free-flowing words. (Except maybe a decent paycheck in exchange for all those words) Nothing is more aggravating to a writer than the point where those words come to a grinding halt. You can take the easy way out and blame it on writer’s block if you want to, but could that just be a catch-all excuse for something else? It’s a common phrase, often used with abandon by anyone who regularly puts pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and finds themselves coming up short on their anticipated word count. The term writer’s block is easily bantered about by anyone who feels stymied in their efforts to put another single word down in a blog, a novel or any other written missive. ARE YOU GUILTY OF LAYING ALL THE BLAME FOR YOUR LACK OF WRITING PROGRESS ON ‘“WRITER’S BLOCK?” If you’re at a loss for words or completely void of any cohesive sentence structure, are you really suffering from writer’s block? Or, could something else be at the root of your paralysis? For instance, if you can’t think of a single thing to write on a certain project, maybe you just aren’t all that interested in the topic you are trying to tackle. This can be problematic if the topic you are struggling with is one assigned to you by someone willing to pay for your efforts. Still, boredom is a real obstacle to free-flowing writing. Unless you are truly under the gun with a time commitment, consider scraping your current writing project, or at least setting it aside for the time being, and starting a fresh project. Once you’ve reclaimed your writing mojo on a more interesting project, you may find the words coming easier when you get back to the original topic — or, you may realize that walking away was the best thing you could do. ARE YOU HIDING BEHIND YOUR WRITING? Many writers find writing to be the ultimate escape from the stresses and realities of everyday life. You may blame writer’s block for your lack of productivity when, in reality, you have something more pressing on your mind and what you’re really suffering from is a lack of clear focus. Figure out what’s really bothering you and deal with it. You may see your writing muse back in full force quickly after that. IS IT WRITER’S BLOCK OR WRITER’S FEAR? Rather than writer’s block, you may be suffering from writer’s fear. That is, more precisely, the fear of writing exactly what is on your mind for fear of the reception your words may receive by your audience. Are you trying too hard to soften the blow of harsh words or unpopular opinions in your writing? Only you can decide when you feel strong enough to forge ahead and lay it all out there. Until you find that courage, you can label your inactivity as writer’s block if you want to, but eventually you will have to come to grips with your true voice when you look at yourself in the mirror. ARE YOU LETTING YOUR DESIRE TO BE A PERFECTIONIST MASQUERADE ITSELF AS WRITER’S BLOCK? It’s okay to want to be the best writer you can be. It’s not okay to freeze up over the possibility of saying it all wrong or making a few grammatical errors. Get over yourself and do what you were meant to do. Let those words flow now. Fix them later if you need to. IS WRITER’S BLOCK HARBORING YOUR INNER LONELINESS? Hard as it may be to believe for die-hard writers, there is more to life than writing. Being cloistered in a small room or office can sap your creativity and leave you feeling restless for the companionship of others or, at the very least, a breath of fresh air. Feeling restless can interfere with your productivity. Don’t abandon your exercise routine by chaining yourself to your desk. Go for a rejuvenating brisk walk. Take your writing show on the road and go hang out at the coffee shop or call your favorite person and have a nice chat over a glass of Cabernet. A brief change of activity can quell that inner angst and leave you free to write again.

OH, POOR PITIFUL ME! Are you trying to lay the blame on your so-called writer’s block when what you’re really feeling is self-pity? Maybe your previous writing hasn’t been bringing you the level of success and acclaim you were hoping for so you’re wallowing in a quagmire of despair over your pathetic feelings of inadequacy. The harsh reality of it all is that, in order to be a good writer or any kind of writer for that matter, you must first of all, BE A WRITER.

Without words on the screen, you cannot label yourself a writer in any form of the word. Whether your words are good, bad or indifferent — feeling sorry for yourself will never improve your writing. Only writing can do that. That alone should inspire you to let loose on a flood of words. WRITING CAN BECOME AN ALL-CONSUMING OBSESSION It can be easy to hide behind the curtain of writer’s block when, in reality, you would really just rather be doing something else. Writer’s block then becomes the perfect excuse for walking away from your typical writing schedule. If this is the case, put away your guilt. Do the other things you feel called to do. Unless you’re on someone’s time clock, you are the master of your destiny and you can choose to take a break from your writing when it feels like the right thing to do — no excuses necessary. Writer’s block is one of those quirky terms used to describe a lack of positive action. It might feel good to hide behind your excuses for a while but, in the end, it’s best to deal with the realities and struggles of releasing the writer within. Conclusion: Writers write.