Defeat Writer’s Block with These 16 Tips
Writer’s block. It’s the one thing that stops authors in their tracks. Staring at a blank sheet of paper or that empty computer monitor can be paralyzing.Why do we suffer from writer’s block? It’s usually the self-critic inside us, judging every word put on the page even before it lands there. To avoid judging ourselves, we censor our words. Even professional writers suffer from writer’s block from time to time.
How did they get past it? They lifted the veil of censorship and learned to silence their inner critic. Stephen King is known for getting his first draft down by “writing with the door shut.” This technique helps him not worry about what anyone thinks of his words. He just gets them down on paper.
Getting writing motivation isn’t impossible. The first step is to understand why you’re blocked. If you’re in a rut, these useful tips from expert Jenna Avery are sure to help you get back on track. Keep reading to learn the five common causes of writer’s block, then be sure to download the additional 16 tips from Jenna!
5 Common Causes of Writer’s Block
1. Day-job Stress:
Finding the motivation for writing after working a long day can be difficult. When a boss or big project at work drains you, it’s hard to get our heads into writing at night. We can’t just ignore the daily stresses of work, and struggle to find ways to find time to write. Even if the job isn’t stressful, our personal lives can be. Getting into the head space to write requires focus.
2. Research Overload:
A lot of writers use research as a procrastination tool. Maybe you can’t finish your thriller because you don’t know how an FBI profiler operates. You bury yourself in endless research instead of just getting the words down on the page. A screenwriting coach will suggest to set limits on how much research you do for your stories.
3. Not Writing Regularly:
A writing career coach will tell you to write every single day to keep the ideas flowing, even if it’s only for 15 minutes. Sometimes writer’s block simply comes from not writing! Writing every day keeps those creative juices flowing.
4. Unrealistic Goals:
While it’s important to write every day, you need to set attainable goals. If you set the bar to write from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every single day, your writing might become boring under that kind of pressure. The flow of your words might completely stop and writer’s block will set in.
5. Perfectionism:
There’s no such thing as the perfect sentence, paragraph or story. Writing is art. Writing encouragement comes from within, but if you always expect your work to be perfect, you’ll be nervous to put words on the page and feel they are merely “word vomit.” Do yourself the favor of letting go of perfectionism. Everything can be fixed in a rewrite. The most important thing is to write those pages!
Find the Cure for Writer’s Block with this Free Download!
Writer’s block may affect you at some point in your writing career but always remember it doesn’t have to be paralyzing. Advice from writing experts can help you get past temporary writer’s block faster!
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