Writer’s Block: Real or Myth?

Writer's Block: Segement of Berlin Wall at the Newseum in D.C.
Segement of Berlin Wall at the Newseum in D.C.
This week my accountability group is blogging about writer’s block and how we deal with it. Last week’s post on what has writing taught us and what we have learned over the years is also part of our How I Write series.

“Is writer’s block real or a myth and how do you deal with it?”

I believe writer’s block is a real phenomenon. Ok, probably not as literal as the wall in the picture above, but it can feel that way some days.

However, I don’t think writer’s block is necessarily a bad thing that you must sit and bang your head against. It’s merely a signal. Your muse, or your well of creativity, hasn’t abandoned you, it’s just undernourished. Ok, so if you don’t subscribe to the whole muse thing, think of it this way…

Your subconscious and your conscious mind are in total agreement here. You don’t know what’s going to happen next. And until you step back, stop banging your head against the problem, nothing’s going to be resolved in a pretty fashion that you’re going to be happy with in the long run.

So, what can we do once we’ve recognized this signal?

  • Read: What should you read? ANYthing and EVERYthing that interests you. Read for fun. Read to soak up the skills of the author. Read aloud if you want. Just luxuriate in the words. Let them wash over you. Even reading something that sucks can inspire you to do better. Reading up on the craft of writing helps me think about how I’m putting the words together and gives new ideas to try.
  • Relax: Take some time for yourself. Pamper yourself. Listen to some music. Take a nap. Reconnect with friends.
  • Play: Do something you enjoy, just for yourself and for the heck of it. Get down on the floor and play with the kids (borrow someone else’s if you need to and they’ll thank you!) Spend some time pursuing a different hobby.
  • Exist: This one is harder to explain. It’s similar to meditation, in that your focus is on something repetitive and preferably wordless. Exercise, playing an instrument, knitting, doing the dishes, gardening, walking, showering or soaking in the tub can all fit the bill. Be yourself as much as you can be, and step beyond that. Sounds corny, but works for many and gets the words flowing.

The main thing that all those things have in common is they are ways to refill your creative well and give your subconscious time to work through the question of “What next?”. Writing or any other creative endeavor can be a drain on us. We really need to take time to find balance (one of the things my accountability group focuses on) to give us the time to step back and plan (even if only subconsciously) instead of always running full tilt at the keyboard.

I find I work best when I can routinely cycle between cramming stuff into my brain and then later dumping stuff back out on the page. Others may not find that works for them, or they need a much shorter and less distinctive cycle to feed their muses.

Another thing you can try is a little different in that it’s not a refilling, but more of a rebooting or flushing action.

  • Write: You can use a journal to dump out all the crap your subconscious is wrestling with and save it for later. Experiment with a new technique. Something new. Something mundane. Writing exercises or writing prompts may help spark your creativity too.

Your Turn: Share how you maintain balance and refill your creative well in the comments below.

And if you’d like to read about what the rest of my group thinks about writer’s block and how they deal with it, you can find their blogs here:

* Alexia Reed * Angeleque Ford * Danie Ford *
* Emma G. Delaney * Kimberly Farris *

14 thoughts on “Writer’s Block: Real or Myth?”

  1. It’s probably therapeutically helpful to have people to talk about it with. I’m a writer, earning my living from it. No writer I know who lives from that income has writer’s block. Their bills are urgent and they just get it done.

    1. Good point! Writing might be a solitary occupation, but writers should never exist in a vacuum. Congrats on finding something you’re passionate about that pays your bills too!

  2. It’s a discipline, probably more in tune with yoga, or Zen than the sort learned in classrooms or sports training. First comes total belief in yourself, then freeing the mind of expectations, ridding yourself of as many opinions as possible, removing the boundaries of the mind standing in the way of creative thought. Everything rushes in when you open the doors.

    1. Thanks for stopping by, Jules. I think you said that better than I did. I think that belief in yourself can be bolstered or transferred from other hobbies where you’re comfortable with your skills and allowing your mind to wander to other things is a big part of it. As you said, open doors!

  3. Great post, something to print up and tape to the whiteboard. I find that the first point is usually true — I am most creative after I’ve burned the battery on my e-reader or cracked the spine on a paperback.

    I definitely thinks the pressure of just being a writer is a culprit a lot of the times. With social media you can’t escape other people writing, so even if you’ve successful, been there, done that, if you’re hitting a wall for whatever reason it only makes it worse.

    1. Thanks! I agree about the pressure thing, that’s the other side of the “not existing in a vacuum”. It’s hard not to judge your progress against others even knowing it’s comparing apples to oranges.

      It’s one of the reasons I try to celebrate any progress and encourage others by acknowledging the same when they sound like, “Bummer, I only wrote 50 words today. *sigh*” Hey, that’s 50 more words than they had when they sat down. They showed up and did more than just talk about writing. That’s something in my book.

  4. Great post! I think it’s hard when you WANT to write, but you just don’t know how to get past that hurdle. I was dealing with my own block, but I had a small brainstorm session with Kim that helped.

    1. Kim’s great at those. Her and Bria tend to ask the right questions to get me thinking in the right direction or in a completely different one.

      Yes, being “word constipated” when you WANT to write is the worst. Loved the way you addressed this question on your blog this week, Alexia!

    1. Journaling doesn’t always help me get unstuck instantly, but it does let me clear brain-space to let the creative problems bounce around instead of whatever low-level frustrations and concerns have been lurking there. Hope it works well for you!

      I enjoyed reading your take on this problem over at your blog today too! It’s funny how similar, yet slightly different our approaches are to this stumbling block.

  6. As always, great, great post! Sometimes you have to know when to press on or when to stop being so hard on yourself.

    1. Thanks, Patti. It’s a good thing I’ve got you guys who understand, keep me sane and in line. Ok… 2 out of 3’s not bad. LOL

  7. I agree with talking it over with another writer. My blocks come with specific books these days. I may have two or three going, but one may stump me.
    Taking time to refuel is so important. I read a lot whenever I can.
    Great post, Kaige.

    1. Thanks, Jen! You’ve got so much going on that refueling is a must whether you’re stumped by one of your books or not. *hugs*

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