Oh yes, it’s here. The infamous writer’s block stops writers in their tracks. What happens when you’re hit with a stroke of genius and suddenly, when it’s time to write it, you freeze up? Sweat beats down your forehead, your joints lock up, and your emotions cloud your vision.
Writing is one of the most daunting jobs. English is difficult! You shut down because you don’t know how to write a single sentence in the “right way.” Your grammar is awful, your ideas make no sense, and when you decide to free write, it comes out garbled.
I am describing myself here, but anyone of you could be struck with the same fear I have.
“What if it’s not perfect?”
Over the years, I have come to terms that writing does NOT have to be perfect. No matter how long you’ve been writing, mistakes will happen. Because of this, don’t get attached to the first draft. Easier said than done, but saves a lot of heartache and pain in the long run.
Have someone proofread your work. You may like what’s on paper, or in this case, what’s on the screen, but having someone else looking over your writing with new eyes will make your writing stronger.
If you don’t have someone to proofread for you, then try applications like Microsoft Word that have the read-aloud option! Sometimes hearing your work instead of seeing it will enhance the story.
I understand how frustrating it can be when the ideas in your head don’t translate well on the screen or paper. It can be hard, especially with day-to-day life, to make your writing make sense. When that happens, it’s great to take a break from your current project and either start another one or go back to a previous one. The ideas we have swimming in our brains could help us with a different project later on.
Always keep another work on deck. I find that while I am writing something, and I get stuck, there is a moment where moving on to an old project helps me create new ideas for that piece and vice versa. I wouldn’t write too many pieces as that would overwhelm you, but try to stay consistent.
How do you move forward from writer’s block?
Featured Image: Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
UnaPOETgetically Me 
I work a lot, typically long shifts, only so much time to write. I usually have at least a couple of “longer” projects to work on, but when burnt on those or clueless what to do with them next, I typically turn to articles (which take hours at most), poetry (up to fifteen minutes per poem), and short stories (up to a couple of days, one-or-two sessions), to maintain regularity in writing and in an effort to create a constant “flow” of output.
Definitely agree with the notion of trying to always have at least an idea or two kicking around in the back-burner of your mind. Maintains a certain creative alertness, fuels your desire to write all-the-more, and justifies making time for it.
I too have struggled with the notion that if it won’t be perfect then there’s no point. I reinforce this with an innate desire for my contributions to be great, justifying it by thinking that minimal superior output is better than overly-consistent mediocre output. I think it’s about finding a balance in your own process and finding contention with it, forming a certain level of discipline that I to this day am still trying to develop.
Great article! I’d imagine many of your readers to be aspiring writers with limited time on their hands, therefore having little time to deal with mental blocks; here’s hoping these ideas help with that.
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Thank you so much! 💙
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