Overcoming Writer’s Block
Writer’s block is a common condition experienced by even the most seasoned writers. There are a lot of factors why we lose the ability to write or why we slow down with the writing process. Writer’s block may take a couple of minutes, hours, months, or even years, depending on how grave the reasons are.
Oftentimes, a writer’s block is caused by conflicted emotions. You’re not writing at the moment because maybe you are not in the mood to write; perhaps you want to do something else or there is something that is bothering your mind. Writing shouldn’t be constrained by time since works made in a short span tend to be poorly written.
Nobody is perfect; writing can never be perfect. Sometimes, writers think too much about how a work will turn out or if what he intends to write can be easily understood by his readers. What writers forget is that meaning is subjective. It doesn’t mean that you’re a bad author if you are unable to let readers understand a text the same way as you do. What’s important is that readers are able to interpret a text and create meaning on their own.
For instance, in writing a novel, one will already have a general grasp on how a book will turn out. However, writer’s block still occurs in instances where you need to put fillers and situations before plot twists. Writing a book needs a lot of effort and thinking, and every element you assimilate in your book can make or break the whole story.
Here’s a suggestion: don’t overthink, just write. Writing in free form allows you to generate a lot of ideas, whether relevant to your story or not. Freewriting is also a form of exercise. As long as you write, you are being productive. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling, and punctuation. You can fix it after you have written to your heart’s content. Once the ideas are formed into words, you can then rearrange them, form them into complete sentences, and then polish the whole work.
On the other hand, if your mind is blank and floating, making an effort to write will only strain you mentally and physically. Inspiration doesn’t come from nothing. What you can do is look for other activities that you can get inspiration from. Take a walk, read a book, listen to music, talk to a friend—just do something else that doesn’t make you stagnant.
If you are writing a scholastic or technical article and you have no idea how to start, do more research. In the same way, research is also essential in writing fiction, such as science fiction, detective, or conspiracy theories. You may be lacking information or grasp on the topic, which is why it is hard to translate ideas into words.
Like in physics, more force means more acceleration. Just don’t bang your head to a wall to pick up speed. Writer’s block will always be there, like the little imp sitting on your shoulder. As an alternative, think of a writer’s block as a precursor to a mind-blowing revelation or inspiration. If you have the luxury of time and budget, you can travel to places you’ve never been or seek thrills that will make your heart pump more blood than it should.  Distraction is useful.
