By Rukayya Zamroon
Writer’s block is the biggest arch-nemesis of every current and aspiring writer. For people who have words running in our veins, this term can really spook us. At its mildest, it can just be a lack of ideas. At its worst, it can make you doubt whether you have what it takes to pursue your passion.
Ever had to flip a switch, but no light illuminated the room? The desire to illuminate, but the inability to do so; that’s what writer’s block feels like. The moment you sit down to write (or type), your brain is either completely blank or bombarded with doubts, questions, or distractions. Writer’s block can manifest in different ways for different people, but it relates to the same thing.
What causes writer’s block? For publishing authors, it can be a lack of time and resources, rejections, disagreements with publishers, and the like. However, often, the obstacles are internal: self-doubt, low motivation, lack of inspiration, and perfectionism are what cause writer’s block. These can drain the flow of your creativity, and it can be extremely distressing. It’s like an artist without their art; it makes you feel revoltingly empty. This negativity makes you see the shadow rather than the light. To overcome these obstacles, you must learn to work through these psychological barriers.
We will focus on some of the most common manifestations of writer’s block.
You feel motivated but uncreative – you’ve got a plotline you think would be great and you want to let your words flow and see how it goes, but you don’t feel it’s creative enough. It lacks flavour. Something is missing but you can’t figure out what. Maybe the problem isn’t you, but the creative space you’re in. When you’re confined to the same familiar spaces, your brain is bound to go through repetition. Your ideas are fruitful, yet they taste bland. That’s because you’ve been picking them from the same tree. You need something different to kickstart your creative flow. Let yourself daydream a little and try to come up with new worlds of imagination. Add different colour schemes and change the aura. You don’t have to change your genre or signature atmosphere; just make them more outstanding, more peculiar. Put yourself in new and unfamiliar spaces. Yes, you know what’s coming. Step out of your comfort zone a little. Be like Gina Linetti, add some pizazz.
You feel creative but have no motivation – yes, the opposite. You can conjure up new worlds and stories, new characters and auras, but you can’t seem to put it all down into pages (or documents, it’s really your call). You wait for your ideas to bleed out of your head and into your fingers, but the longer you wait, the more you’re afraid it will all dry up. Why won’t the words come out? This calls for scheduling ahead. Whether you like it or not, creating a writing habit will come in extra handy. Don’t allow yourself to lie around and sigh exasperatedly, sit yourself down in your writing space constantly so you can force it out. Schedule times that don’t interfere with your work or social life and follow them until something comes out. Try to write down your ideas and paste them at eye level so you can stare at them and force yourself to imagine your writing plan. Repetition, in this instance, is important. Where do you feel most creative? In the shower, in the kitchen, or at your desk? Find out where you are most creative and write there constantly. Never mind the faulty drafts, make sure you keep writing until you see something spark.
You’re out of ideas – are you struggling to come up with ideas at all? If so, that’s okay. Don’t be hard on yourself, take it easy. Prompt generators and Pinterest exist for a reason. Surf through the internet, explore images, and search far and wide until you find something worth saving. Look at sample stories and go through writing questions. Read others’ work and ask around for tips. Take your time, there’s no rushing. Besides, the internet has more than enough search results to occupy you. If you feel like maybe everything is blank because you are rushing, slow your thoughts down. Take a breather. You might be rushing into ideas too quickly; stop for a moment to gain your groove back and let your words flow. Don’t bite more than you can chew.
Self-doubt – this is one of the hardest obstacles to work through. Self-doubt is a natural response to many things that involve expressing yourself, and it can be the most crippling. The first step in working through this endless void is to know that you are not alone in feeling it. Almost every person experiences self-doubt in many aspects of their lives and it is most common when it comes to creativity. Believe it or not, even your favourite authors would have experienced self-doubt throughout their writing experiences. Self-doubt often makes one assume their writing is of no value before their words even reach the page. If you are doubting your ideas and reconsidering their values, stop right there. Hold back your judgement. Allow yourself to imagine and to write, even if your words don’t meet your expectations. Does that character need more personality? Does that scene need to be more mysterious and eerie? Does the whole fantasy need to be more… realistic? It doesn’t matter. Let your character embark on their journey and let the scenery be a little dry. Let your doubts go; keep writing and don’t let your hesitance get in the way. An artist never stops expressing. You wouldn’t be called a writer if you didn’t love what you do and aren’t capable of it. Write. You can edit it all later. Show your drafts to someone you trust; you will find that they are much better than you thought them to be.
One more thing, you are capable. Never panic about whether you’ve lost your touch with what you’re good at because it is simply untrue. You are born with your talent, and you will die with it. Just because it takes you a little time to continue it doesn’t mean you will never be able to. It’s okay to take a break when you’re exhausted, and it’s okay if you are a little rusty, but you will come back. You will always have your magic because it flows through your veins.
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