There’s no writer who has had to deal with writer’s block. At some point in time, your faovurites have all been pulling their hair out, stomping their feet, and throwing ye ol’ typewriter into the river. In creative fields, the wall is unavoidable, but when you’re an indie author, there’s a new level of terror.
When you’ve already locked yourself into a publishing schedule, when fans are counting on you, when you’ve got daily goals for the year, how the hell can you just not write?
In 2018, I set out to start my journey of daily writing, and from that point, writer’s block was pretty well all I thought about. I come from a long line of worriers, and the first thing I thought of was what to do when I hit that dreaded wall— none of which seemed to work when the going got tough. Luckily for you, I’ve stumbled through enough rough days to be able to share a hint of wisdom here, people.
If writer’s block is simply not going to work into your schedule, check out some of my favourite ways to get over the hump!
Let’s Carve the Block
Stop Chasing Perfection
Writer’s block doesn’t have to be the end of the god damn world— even if it feels that way. Truthfully, all you have to do is be willing to be flexible. You can’t force yourself to write well, but you can force yourself to try, and that’s all I’m asking here. We edit for a reason, so when I’m having an especially hard day, I work to take the pressure off myself.
Writing is as much an art as it is a science. This thing is unpredictable, and chasing perfection is the quickest path to burnout. Take a breath and focus on getting something out.
Get In Touch With Your Roots
When I hit a moment of writer’s block, one of my favourite things to do is go back to the place it all started. While I hate taking time off, I’ve never regretted taking a half day in order to get back in touch with my roots. When you started your novel, what inspired the first thought? Was it another book, a dream, a random article you read? Dig back into it and enjoy remembering where you came from.
Redirect Your Attention
Now, I loathe editing. Getting me to sit down and edit is like pulling teeth, but sometimes, pain is exactly what I need. When I’m stuck, I love to take some time to get back to my earlier work. Sometimes, just reading the introduction of my book, reading through my Meet Cute, or reading the outline I scribbled all over can awaken my creative side.
Though, this isn’t a circle jerk. Don’t start fawning over the good ol’ days. Come at this thing like it’s your job. Feel what works, remember what doesn’t, and let the beginning of this story flow back into you.
You Got This
Nothing says that writer’s block has to be the death of you. When you’ve hit a roadblock, the most important thing you need to remember is that this is your journey. Write what you can, try to recapture the moment on creation, and never be afraid to take a look back at how far you’ve come. If you’re putting your pen to the page, then you’ve done enough— trust me.
Did I Miss Anything?
Battled your way out of writer’s block lately? Let me know how in a comment below or, better yet, reach out on Facebook and Twitter!
As always, be good to yourself and never stop writing!