Writer’s block is one of the most awful things a creator can experience. It’s that nagging feeling at the back of your head, making you stuck, unable to fill up an empty page for hours. Besides writers, this problem also haunts composers and artists.
Over the years, many have proposed solutions for this vexing scenario. Some benefit from listening to music, while others counter mental burnout by spending time with nature. However, these tactics can seem trite and pointless if the block is unmoving.
We propose three fresh ideas to deal with writer’s block and resume your journey to original creation.
#1 Smell the Good Old Paper
When was it that writing became a predominantly digital exercise? Many writers today prefer to type on word processing applications on their laptops, tablets, or smartphones. Undoubtedly, the practice is sustainable: you can edit, delete, and restructure on the go. It is also better for the environment. However, switching to classic paper can be effective as a remedy for writer’s block.
In 2023, a Frontiers in Psychology study found that writing by hand improves the brain’s connectivity patterns. When we put pen to paper, our hand movements create spatiotemporal patterns that promote memory, learning, and grasping of new information. These benefits can help writers think of fresh ideas.
The type of stationery you select also impacts the creative process. For example, pretty floral notebooks on your desk with high-quality sheets can send a subconscious signal to your brain. I should fill this with stunning story ideas. You can customize your planner by adding your name and selecting the layout. How about a monogram or picture that holds special meaning for you?
Don’t worry if the quality of your writing does not seem phenomenal. Idle doodling or scribbling disconnected thoughts can also help you get started. Plum Paper recommends writing in stationery that reflects one’s personality to experience the most productivity. It makes sense that the place you store your beloved plot points and character graphs should resonate with your soul.
#2 Employ Writing Rituals
In the 1700s, the German playwright Friedrich Schiller kept rotten apples in his desk drawer. No, he didn’t intend to invite maggots. He found that the smell triggered his imagination and helped him write.
You don’t need to let your fruits rot to write your next book. However, writing rituals can draw you out of a lull and shatter that annoying block. The trick is to develop unique, even weird, rituals that make sense to you. They don’t need to be justified to anyone as long as you benefit from them.
For example, you may feel inspired to create when you drink from a specific coffee mug or smell citrusy lemongrass in the room. Or, you may associate writing with the sunlight streaming through the window – an effect you can recreate with solar lamps and candles.
Over time, you will find that these actions trigger the same sets of neurons, naturally stirring your brain cells. As you practice and repeat, neural connections reorganize and strengthen further. Eventually, the brain doesn’t need to decide consciously anymore. You will feel like writing when you see that ray of sunlight.
Sometimes, we only need a little nudge and support to beat writer’s block. Writing rituals can provide this in plenty. In some ways, neurological cravings are similar to addiction. You feel elevated when you write and want to write more to continue feeling that way.
#3 Identify the Specific Cause of Your Writer’s Block
Have you already tried the standard advice on getting your creative juices flowing? For example, friends and peers may have recommended setting a time for writing every day or reading more from authors you love. If nothing has worked so far, you should consider introspecting about the nature of the impediment holding you back.
The fear of rejection or not writing “well enough” is a common cause of feeling stagnant. You may be prone to too much self-criticism, which makes you second-guess anything you create. This quest for perfectionism can bring things to a standstill. One way to deal with this situation is to reassess your priorities and remind yourself that writing is something you do for yourself.
Another culprit could be a lack of intrinsic motivation or feelings of having exhausted your creative energies. Even bigwigs like Franz Kafka, whose works have inspired generations, reported “unending torments” at times, feeling that they had exhausted writing for good. The Guardian recently reported on one of Kafka’s letters to his publisher, which shared his struggles with writer’s block.
Working on triggers of anxiety, like negative feedback from a reviewer, can help you overcome this obstacle. Calming activities like meditation or hiking can also clear the mind.
Writer’s block can take a while to overcome. It can push the best of us to the end of our tethers. But it is possible to surmount as long as you are committed to the innocence of what first got you writing. It could be a desire to tell stories only you could see or document fleeting memories so they’d never be lost. Let’s remember that art can melt the most unforgiving challenges.
