The mere utterance of the phrase ‘writer’s block’ strikes fear into the hearts of wordsmiths everywhere. The annoying state of affairs that causes you to look at your computer screen and/or a blank sheet of paper and wish that you had waited for the next train (rather than taking a taxi to meet a deadline to create something – anything) – would be writer’s block. I began wondering why writer’s block is so pervasive and whether it’s difficult (or even possible) to overcome. Are there specific psychological explanations for why writer’s block happens when it does? Here’s what I’ve learned so far from my research:

1. Even really great writers experience writer’s block.
2. Few people can work on a piece of writing for eight hours straight (although some of those who claim that they can are writers with outstanding discipline).
3. There is a definite tipping point in that each writing project is a work in progress that can be carried onward (or not), and each tap of the keyboard or pen hitting the paper represents a substantial amount of energy.
4. High stress and writing are incompatible.
5. Writer’s block is likely a function of emotional stress rather than a psychological consensus.

Embrace the Process

Most importantly, embrace it – don’t think that this happens to losers; it happens to the greatest writers. Some writers accept it and spend a couple of weeks off writing; others view it as a defeat, resist it and, as a result, prolong it. It’s also essential to rationalise the experience: not believing in one’s creativity shouldn’t be part of being creative. So, consider it a natural element of creativity and move through it. Creativity has cycles – realise you’re at a low point today, return to it tomorrow, and allow yourself to flow with it.

Change Your Environment

Sometimes, all you need to spark your creative juices is a change of scenery. If you’ve spent hours staring at a page or screen, get up and go for a walk. Go to a café, the library, a park – any new place that stimulates your senses and gives you some creative energy. Moving your body and heading into new places can work wonders in breaking writer’s block.

Free write or Brainstorm

If you’re feeling stuck, write or brainstorm to limber up first. Allow yourself 10 or 15 minutes to write or list everything that comes to mind without stopping or judging your efforts. You don’t have to worry about good grammar, punctuation or sentence structure: write nonsense if you want. Just release your pen from its sheath and allow the thoughts to flow.

Break It Down

Acknowledging that it can feel overwhelming and that this tendency can contribute to writer’s block, break down the larger project into a series of smaller, more manageable projects. Set realistic goals for completing a certain amount of writing in a given session, such as a certain number of words, a certain part of the project, or some time spent just thinking about or brainstorming about it. Celebrate these accomplishments each time you meet your goal.

Find Inspiration

Seek your Inspiration in novels, article, or poem that resonates with your inner critic; hear music, watch a film, or take yourself into nature; embrace any activity that pumps the place where the ‘good’ ideas resided. Now, fly on your own, inspired by your own magic.

Take a Break

The best antidote to writer’s block is sometimes to engage with anything but your writing. Give yourself a break. Do whatever makes you feel more relaxed and refreshed, whether to socialise with your loved ones, exercise, or even succumb to your chosen leisure activity. This often enables you to channel your energies into writing more productively.

Practice Self-Compassion

The most important thing to do is not to punish yourself if you are experiencing writer’s block. One of the worst things you can do is to criticise yourself in a negative or self-deprecating way. This kind of talk will only make you feel worse. Here’s another great tool to use:

1. Be kind to yourself.
2. At the very least, try not to verbally – or mentally – punish yourself.
3. Practise self-compassion by erring on the side of kindness.
4. In other words, treat yourself like you’d treat a dear friend experiencing the same thing – with patience and understanding.

To summarise, writer’s block is a powerful adversary to which you don’t have to succumb. Embrace the process, change the scenery, free write or brainstorm, break down tasks, seek Inspiration, take breaks, and show yourself some compassion. With time, practice, a good support system, effort, and resolve, you will overcome writer’s block to write creatively again. Next time you hit a wall, remember this list, step to the right of the wall, grab onto the bricks, and kick that wall down. Happy writing!