Every writer has gone through this: You have a topic you want to write about, but you don’t know what to put on the paper. You are just staring at a blank screen in frustration. Your creative side is hurting and you want to give up. The process is called writer’s block, and every creative is struggling with this or has struggled with it previously.
What are some causes of this issues?
While there is no specific pinpointed reason behind writer’s block, from a writer’s perspective, it usually relates to these:
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Time: Schedules can be hectic – work, internships, classes, etc.
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Fear: Sometimes, a writer can be their own inner critic. He/ she can be afraid of criticism and how people take their writing.
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Perfectionism: Well, a writer just wants the piece to look and be just right, even before writing it or typing it.
How can you deal with this?
There is no perfect solution to dealing with writer’s block. I’ve dealt with this issue before, but coming out of it was not easy. Writing is more than a hobby, it’s an art and must be treated gently. There is no guide to getting rid of writer’s block. However, there are some ways to work through this. Here are some ideas:
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Go out for a walk. Walk around the neighborhood or jog for an hour.
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Play some music. Here are some recommendations: lo-fi instrumentals, slow music, or songs with concepts.
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Change your environment. Writing in the same place is not a good idea. You can go to a cafe, library, or a bookstore.
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Free write. Set a timer and get your thoughts out on paper. Do not stop until the time is up and do not worry about grammar until the end.
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Read books. Find authors in the field you write in and get some ideas from them.
There are various ideas and if you want to overcome this, you have to start the momentum. Once you pick up the pace, the block becomes invisible to you. One piece of advice I would not recommend: don’t write until you feel inspired. Of course, you want to be inspired. However, it is not good to wait. It will make the block worse and your creativity will completely disappear. If nothing else, WRITE! It can be a few words or few lines. Start somewhere. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Every first piece of writing will not be the best. If you can start like this, you will get over writers’ block. All you have to do is just write.