Overcome Writer's Block and Get Your Creative Rhythm Back
Writer's block has been something I've been dealing with the past months as I continue to write my book.
It's something every writer admits to sheepishly, before coming up with many reasons why the words aren't flowing like they used to.
But herein lies the rub. This is the reason I believe that's the reason why it has the reputation and stigma that it does. We are not meant to be productive all the time, and yet we push ourselves to be.
What is writer's block?
Writer's block can be defined as: being unable to produce new ideas; the experience of a creative slowdown.
The whole idea hinges on feeling stuck, being unable to create anything new, and feeling like a fraud. The natural genius when you start writing gradually fades, as does the desire to write. You no longer feel compelled to keep up with your writing habit and instead, fall gently into the monotonous abyss of daily life.
At least that's what the phenomenon feels like.
What causes writer's block?
Everyone has their own perspective of what causes writer's block. I generally believe that the feeling of being unable to write has its roots in our own mental health and self-care.
If we force ourselves to keep going despite our mind and body wanting us to slow down, then of course we will feel tension and then, be unable to continue the writing process.
From my point of view, writer's block is caused by a few factors:
Exhaustion. When we push ourselves to show up and write at any time of day, we soon become exhausted and want to retreat from the writing process.
Anxiety. When you feel anxious and on edge in your daily life, this stifles your creativity.
Adversity. Facing adversity in our daily life similarly puts more stress and pressure onto us so we have no free headspace to be creative.
Guilt. We stop being productive one day and before we know it, a week has gone by. We then feel guilty for all the missed opportunities, which pushes us further away from trying again.
Unrealistic expectations. Setting goals is great, but if you're setting goals that are way above what is reasonable, then you are more likely to feel resentful towards the writing process.
Perfectionism. Being too hard on ourselves discourages us from trying something new because of the pressure to do everything perfectly.
How to overcome writer's block
In order to overcome writer's block, I think we need to flip our perspectives of what writer's block really is.
I think it signifies a deeper issue.
What if experiencing a creative slowdown wasn't meant to be something we push past? What if it is really a symptom of a deeper issue that our mind and body are pointing us toward resolving?
Writer's block could be telling us to:
Relax more
Take some time to be inactive
Take the pressure off ourselves
Set more realistic goals
Be fearless in the face of trying something new
The consumeristic nature of modern creativity
In our modern consumeristic world, we are always taught to have more, to be more, to do more.
There is no room for quiet or for being in a state of inactivity. In the medieval period, we would rotate crops on fields and leave one field fallow each year to rejuvenate. Yet in our modern world, we continue to reap crops from the land year after year while it degrades.
What if we aren't always meant to be creative?
In my honest opinion, the whole concept of writer's block reflects our societal ideas about productivity. Don't you think it's madness that we're expected to be productive and creative all the time? It's not reasonable or natural.
Maybe, you don't have to check yourself into writer's block rehab. Maybe there's nothing wrong with you. Perhaps writing happens in seasons and cycles, just like in nature.
How to get over writer's block
Being able to work through and get over writer's block is something we all must do from time to time in our writing careers.
Over the past few months, I have been balancing my self-care more. Prioritizing myself has been instrumental in feeling more confidence towards my writing again and so maybe, these tips will also help you.
Things you can do to get over writer's block:
Do something else. Stop obsessing and detach completely. Spend some time, guilt-free, on your favorite hobby. I've been knitting all kinds of beanies and sweaters lately, as well as baking and going for hikes in the countryside.
Journal. Dig deep and see what pops to mind when you explore: why don't I want to write right now? I really believe we always know the answer within us, sometimes we just need some space to pinpoint what it is.
Talk to a friend or therapist. Sometimes, writer's block can be a symptom of unresolved issues or trauma. Talking with a trusted friend or therapist and exploring your past can help you gain clarity on your unresolved issues or warped internal view of your own creative talents.
Connect with yourself and nature. The creative juices are somewhat mystical at times, so connecting in with yourself and your own sense of spirituality can help lift the burden. Sometimes, our psyche and soul are just craving our own attention. Giving yourself your own time and attention, away from the demands of daily life, can reignite your creative passions.
Sleep more. Maybe you're just exhausted full stop. Make some more time to rest (maybe even 10 to 12 hours if you can swing that) and replenish your exhausted mind and body.
When the creative juices don't flow
I don't think there is a silver bullet for these types of problems. We are all unique and individual, so our medicine will also be individualized.
Self-doubt and feeling like a writing imposter can go away the more we build competence in our area of expertise. When we receive positive feedback, either external or internal, we gradually build more confidence in our own ability and will probably suffer less from writer's block.
Making small tasks for ourselves and tracking our progress can help, but sometimes, we truly do need to rest and be "fallow" for a bit.
The remedy for me was to find more things that brought me joy, so I would feel happier, more at ease, and more relaxed. From this space, I've been able to work through the barriers I had between me and my writing, even if that process is still ongoing.
I'm learning to find my own rhythm by doing things that bring me joy, in the hopes that I will circle back to creating again soon.