How Not To Deal With Writer’s Block
Also known as ‘My December so far’
Reading and writing on this platform along with thousands of talented creatives, I’ve learned that the majority of us have to work hard to maintain our inspiration. Each day brings unique challenges that can block creativity but when the career you’re pursuing relies on your ability to pump out quality content, you just have to find a way.
I will not pretend I have a formulaic cure for writer’s block. I believe I'm still suffering from a mild case of the affliction right now. Since my lack of inspiration is all I can think about at the moment, I thought I’d write about it and perhaps help you dodge the traps I’ve fallen into. Basically, all you have to do is to avoid all the things I’ve done this December and you’ll probably be just fine.
Don’t panic
I’m sure you know the panic. Just a week ago, you were experiencing what the productivity gurus call ‘creative flow’. Ideas and words are coming to you effortlessly and it finally feels like you’ve cracked the code. You’re finally one of the masters and you will never run out of words again. You get up one morning and perhaps you even do all the right things: wake up early, caffeinate, meditate, etc but something is off. Suddenly, it feels as though you can’t write.
The first impulse is likely to panic as it always is when something threatens your livelihood or identity, but I’m telling you there’s no use. I know avoiding panic is a lot easier said than done, but instead of forcing the words, waiting for them can be more productive.
“I’ve stopped unraveling every time I’m unable to write. I wait. The drawer opens. Waiting is part of writing”
— Anthony Minghella, Academy Award Nominated Screenwriter
Anthony Minghella says that waiting is part of writing. Just pause. Instead of being eaten up by panic, find another productive activity to occupy yourself with and be open to ideas that may come to you along the way — I know you see that pile of dirty laundry. For me, writer's block is so devastating because it eats up all of my time, and at the end of the day, I have nothing to show for the mental torture I’ve endured. Just an empty page and a long to-do list for tomorrow.
Refusing to panic and going about your day allows you to keep feeling effective, even though you’re stuck. I enjoy listening to interesting podcasts and audiobooks on a topic I might want to write about for new perspectives. I certainly don’t make use of every idea that floats by because most of them are very bad, but in the end, I might have managed to write a couple hundred words and complete several other tasks.
A couple of things you can do while you’re waiting are brainstorm, think of attractive headlines, look at cool cover images, another creative activity like drawing or cooking, a task you’ve been putting off, pitching your writing, editing, exercising, or just chilling for a bit.
Don’t avoid other writers’ work
I don’t know what it is that makes me want to avoid reading when I have writer’s block. I think it’s the shame of not being able to produce anything of substance myself, but it’s a dangerous impulse that can lead writers to stagnation. Reading is essential for all of us as it provides the perfect sounding board for our work. Reading amazing content offers new tricks to use while reading low-quality work can make us aware of things to avoid.
On this platform, we have access to work from thousands of writers to explore. Poetry is my go-to when I’m lacking inspiration. It offers novel ways to look at even the most ordinary things, which creates a host of possibilities for your writing. Poetry stimulates our emotions, which is a powerful takeaway for engaging with readers.
“Poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world, and makes familiar objects be as if they were not familiar.” — Percy Bysshe Shelley, from A Defence of Poetry and Other Essays.
Reading poetry has taught me to show the reader instead of telling them by setting a scene, to experiment with various forms of writing, and to break the rules sometimes. All very important lessons for any kind of piece. I believe the same amount of value can be derived from multiple other mediums like novels, plays, personal essays, and speeches.
Don’t be afraid of bad writing
The inner narcissist would like to believe that everything I write will be Nobel prize worthy, but I think we all know that’s unrealistic. This month, I was neglecting my favorite writing activity from grade school.
The ‘quick write’ is a timed activity that is usually done in response to a prompt or question. My favorite version lasts about five minutes and the only rule is to keep writing. Of course, the main objective is reaching a conclusion about the topic at hand but if all you can think about is how cold the room is or your massive wedgie, then that’s what you write about.
In the teaching world, quick writes are a way to soothe the writing-induced dread many students feel because they fear making mistakes or producing sub-standard work. Quick writes take the pressure off since the focus is on ideas rather than correctness, organization, or word choice. Inexperienced, school-aged kids aren’t the only ones who deal with this dread. Even if you write every day, you likely know what it feels like to be insecure about your ability. Getting back to the basics and letting your thoughts flow, no matter how absurd they are, can help.
“A day of bad writing is always better than a day of no writing.”
— Don Roff, writer and filmmaker
Don’t stop meeting your basic needs
As we’ve discussed, when writer’s block strikes, we can neglect other parts of life like our long to-do lists, but sometimes we even neglect our basic needs. Focus is a blessing when it comes to any type of work but when it gets in the way of attending to bodily needs, productivity is actually compromised.
For example, nutrition plays a huge role in our productivity. You might think you're saving time by skipping meals, for instance, but you’re actually depriving your brain of essential fuel. I’ve certainly sat in front of my computer for hours wondering why I can’t write while my stomach screams for food. Take it from me, you cannot run on coffee alone.
We literally are what we eat as our digestive systems convert the food we consume into the energy we use to get our work done. The quality of that energy obviously depends on the quality of our food. According to this study of 405 adults’ daily food diaries, eating fruits and vegetables increases creativity and curiosity, two vital components of productive writing practice.
Writing is a very sedentary occupation and many of us fall into the trap of sitting in front of a screen all day. Getting some exercise can boost your energy level, alertness, and happiness which makes you want to get things done and might increase the quality of your work. If you’re struggling to maintain your focus or coming up with good ideas, ask yourself when you last did a workout or even just ventured outside. A short, brisk walk might be all you need.
Mental-health is a facet of well-being that most often gets neglected in the world of productivity. If you’re like me and you have the attention span of a gnat, you might feel the need to subject yourself to a strict daily schedule in order to send the number of emails you need to or reach your word count goal. That’s great! We should feel proud of being able to acknowledge our weaknesses and adjust accordingly but we must understand that we are all human and there will be days where we just can’t get everything done.
Self-care is a proactive mental health top-up that helps us prevent burn-out or exhaustion — both poisonous to staying in a flow state. To be effective, self-care should not be used as a temporary band-aid that provides excuses for avoiding our problems and it doesn’t just mean doing face masks or taking bubble baths (though those can be helpful). Doing self-care correctly looks different for everyone. For me, it involves setting boundaries where I need them, caring for my body, and maintaining a peaceful environment.
Don’t stop enjoying a full life
“In order to write about life first you must live it.”
— Ernest Hemmingway
I know the idea seems cliché but it’s so commonly known because of its validity. In our work, most writers try to capture the essence of life through whatever topic we choose. In order to do this effectively, we have to be able to create rich experiences in our lives. There’s no need to worry if you’re too broke to travel or too busy to take up a new habit. Living an ordinary yet full life is all you need. To me, that means positive and stimulating relationships, life-long learning, and an alignment with your life’s purpose.
Some great writers claim that writer’s block doesn't exist. They suggest that those of us who experience this horrible state of mind are not real writers or lack a certain level of professionalism. While I do understand the rationale behind committing oneself to a daily writing habit, I know that some days, the reality is a lack of focus or a lack of energy. In the same way any other worker might have a bad day on the job, you might struggle sometimes and that’s okay. What matters is that you don’t make the same mistakes I have this December.
