The Disabled Writer

As writers, we’ve all said we suffer from writer’s block now and then. But what’s the truth about this common myth? Is it even real? What if I told you there’s no such thing? Would you believe me? Well, here I’m going to break down exactly why that’s the case. Who knows, maybe it’ll even help some of you with your projects!

What Even Is Writer’s Block?

Well, to put it simply, it’s when us writers say we’re stuck and can’t get any words on the page. In essence, it’s a block on writing, hence the incredibly accurate name.

So why am I saying it doesn’t exist? It’s something we’ve all experienced, right?

Wrong.

What we like to refer to as “writer’s block” can, 99% of the time, be broken down into one of two things: losing motivation for our project, or something Neil Gaiman and I like to call “story block.”

So What’s This “Story Block?”

It’s basically the same thing as writer’s block, it’s just specific to the one story we’re working on. How many of you writers have been sitting there, desperate to crank out words for your work in progress, only to find yourself without ideas?

But have you really been out of ideas, or just ideas for your work in progress? Think about it carefully. Really carefully. I’d be willing to bet money that you’ve still got other ideas floating around in your head, they’re just not for the project you’re trying to work on.

You’re stuck while writing your novel, but keep getting ideas for a great scene for the sequel? Story block.

You’re stuck while working on your novel, but get this idea for a short story you just have to work on? Story block.

So How Can I Beat Story Block?

Honestly, that’s probably always gonna be there. We’re writers, we’re creative people. We’re always going to have new ideas floating around in our heads. We wouldn’t be able to create the stories we do without that. It’s both a blessing and a curse.

But who says you have to beat it? Why not use story block to your advantage?

Say you’re stuck on your work, but you’ve got this other idea floating around in your head. Do some work on it! Write that short story. Idea-dump or outline that future novel! You’ve got all these great ideas in your head, write them down! Spend some time on them!

If you do that, I can almost guarantee by the time you’ve finished that short story or outlined that future novel or whatever it was that was bouncing around in that big, creative brain of yours, you’ll have more than enough new motivation for your current project.

What About If I’ve Just Lost All Motivation For My Project?

Hey, it’s happened to all of us. Writing is hard. We compare ourselves to our favorite authors and our fellow writers. Everyone always tells us not to, and we try not to, but it’s inevitable.

Losing motivation is tough, and there’s no one easy cure. Sometimes we just need to take some time off. Sometimes we just need a reminder that we’re not Stephen King, or Robert Jordan, or whoever your favorite author is. Other times, we just really need a win, or we’re just burnt out.

So what can we do if we just need that win? Write a short story. Write some flash fiction. If you’re too burnt out and it feels stressful trying to come up with something new, just take a look at story prompts. There’s hundreds of websites and blogs full of little story prompts. Use them to your advantage!

What if you’re burnt out, though? That’s okay. Sometimes you just need that rest. And that’s okay. If you just feel like you’ve burnt out, it’s okay to take a step back. Take some time to nurture that brain of yours. Anyone in any profession is going to feel burnt out at some point or another. It’s part of being human. So we take care of ourselves. Pamper ourselves a bit. And then we get back to work.

“But I Still Believe In Writer’s Block.”

Cool, you’re allowed to! This is just how I feel about this. It’s probably not a popular opinion, but maybe it’ll change some minds! And who knows, maybe this will help some people who think they’re struggling with writer’s block.

We, as writers, are inherently creative people. We all have different ideas about how things work. And that’s what enables us to come up with unique stories and build fantastical worlds. As writers, we’re literally making readers be able to imagine a whole story in their heads, just by putting words on a page.

If you still think writer’s block is a thing, that’s okay! There’s no one who’s going to hold it against you. But consider the ideas I’ve talked about. Maybe it’ll help you through your block!

Until next time.

-Nick

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