There are lots of things that are frightening to a writer, but at the very top of that list is writer’s block. That feeling of being stuck, like nothing is working, and it’s hard to see your way out. I have felt this a couple of times throughout writing, and I don’t think the line that “writer’s block doesn’t actually exist” is true or very helpful. Instead, I think it’s more accurate (and helpful) to say that what we call “writer’s block” is really an umbrella term for lots of different issues, and subsequently, there are lots of different possible solutions. To help you figure out the cause and potential solution to your writer’s block, here are some questions to work through.
Read more: Five Questions To Ask When Dealing with Writer’s BlockWhat else is going on in your life?
Our creative life is not separate from the rest of our lives; each aspect is woven together. So if you feel stuck in your writing, take a step back to look at what else you’re dealing with. It might be something obvious, like dealing with grief or a major life change like moving or getting married. But it might also be something more subtle: Did your job get busier? Are you not sleeping as well? Did your habits change for some reason? Are you on social media more? This is part of the reason I like journaling – it gives me a reference point of how I was feeling and what I was doing in the past, and how things might have changed.
Once you narrow in on something that might be the cause, there’s still not always something you can do about it. If it’s dealing with the loss of a loved one or moving to a new city or just a busy season at work, mostly, it will just take time. The best answer might be to take a break, and test out new routines. The key is to treat yourself gently; continually getting mad at yourself for not reaching goals that are unattainable at this point is only going to make it more difficult to get back into a healthy rhythm.
On the other hand, the issue might be something you can take steps to address: Building an evening routine to help you sleep better, setting a timer on social media to be less online, etc. Ultimately, you can’t start to figure out the solution until you have a better idea of what the problem is.
Is there something wrong with your story?
If the issue doesn’t seem to be something going on elsewhere in your life (or if it seems like that might be only part of the issue), it’s time to look at your manuscript. Your inability to move forward or feel motivated to work on it might be your subconscious telling you that something isn’t working in the story, and you’ll need to fix it before you can really make progress.
Of course, identifying what exactly is wrong can be the truly hard part. To help, think back on when your story last felt like it flowed. It might not have been easy, but what was the last point in your writing before you started wrestling with writer’s block?
Once you’ve figured that out, start thinking through what you’ve been working on since that point, and see if you can narrow in on what’s causing the trouble. Maybe you’re trying to stick to an outline that no longer fits your story, or maybe you don’t have a plan at all and you’re stumped with what comes next.
Often I find that the issue is that I’m trying to force my characters to do something that is necessary for the plot, but doesn’t actually fit with what that character would do. The story no longer feels like a natural progression of choices the character would make, but rather me wrangling plot points together. It almost feels like the book is “resisting” me, which obviously makes makes it difficult to work on! Whatever the issue is, like I said above, knowing the issue is the first step to solving the problem. Having a clear problem allows you to know what sort of writing craft resources (such as the ones I’ve written!) to turn to.
Has the joy gone out of your writing?
When I was writing The Mistletoe Connection, I hit a period of writer’s block. After feeling resistance to writing the story every time I had planned to work on it, I took a step back to see why I had lost motivation. I ultimately came to the conclusion that the story had lost the spark that I loved when I first started it–it no longer felt fun to write, which was my main goal!
I realized that because of some self-imposed deadlines, I had put too much pressure on myself and the unnecessary stress was sucking the joy out of writing. I was able to rework those deadlines, and I also brainstormed how I could add some of the spark back into the story and make it fun again. This meant working in some of my favorite tropes that I hadn’t had a chance to write before. Ultimately, they were relatively small tweaks, but they made the story fun for me to work on again, which was crucial in breaking through the writer’s block. So it may be that nothing is technically wrong with your story, but if you’ve lost the spark, it can be just as detrimental to your writing life. What things can you take away (like pressure or deadlines) and what can you add (like new characters or tropes) to help bring some of the joy back into writing?
Do you need to take a break?
Sometimes with writer’s block, the answer is to just put your butt in the chair on a regular schedule, and the breakthrough will eventually come. But other times, it might be best to step away for a bit. Especially if you’re feeling burnt out or if you’ve realized there are some major life changes going on, you might just make things worse by pushing through.
That said, there are some guidelines to make sure your break is productive (and not permanent!) First, figure out some activities that refill your creative well. Be intentional about doing these activities as often as you can during your break, whether it’s spending time outside, going to exciting activities, talking with writing friends, or consuming media you love. Don’t treat it like homework, but do take the responsibility of refilling your well seriously, and be intentional about it.
Second, set a time limit. Whether it’s a few days or a week or even a month, set an end to your break. You may get to that point and decide you actually need longer–that’s totally fine! Set a new end, if you really need an extended break. But make sure you don’t let it go on and on–fear of getting back into writing can be another form of writer’s block. Set a time limit for your break, and make sure you dip your toes back into your writing project at the end, so you don’t leave it completely behind.
Do you need to switch to a new project?
I would call this a last resort, but sometimes there is really just a block with a specific project, and no amount of focused working through it or intentional time away is going to solve it. If you’ve tried everything else, it might be time to work on a different project.
That’s not to say the one you’re leaving behind is done for good! This, ultimately, can be another form of taking a break. Sometimes working on a different project, especially if it’s one at a different phase of writing (editing vs drafting, etc), can jumpstart your writing. Eventually, you’ll likely be able to return to your other project and find that your writer’s block is no longer an issue.
This post was in part inspired by the episode of Fated Mates featuring an interview with Loretta Chase, who speaks candidly about her bouts of writer’s block. If you want another perspective and more advice, be sure to check it out!