Why you might be experiencing writer’s block, and some not-so-easy ways to beat it (no hacks here!)
By: Clarinda Cerejo
Tags: Creativity, Writers On Writing, Writing Tips, Creative Writing, Writers Block

Why you might be experiencing writer’s block, and some not-so-easy ways to beat it (no hacks here!) Clarinda Cerejo Mar 22·5 min read

Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash

For the last couple of weeks, I have been trying to write a work-related piece that I have a vague idea for. But the idea remains vague in my head and the words don’t seem to flow onto the page. And so I’ve been procrastinating, which leads to the unpleasant looming guilt that I SHOULD be writing. Guilt stunts creativity, which in turn delays the writing further, allowing my day to instead be filled with myriad “urgent” and “important” tasks.

When I launched Editage Insights, the content platform I managed for about 7 years until recently, I used to write frequently, and I rarely found myself up against a wall (I know there’s no way to say this without sounding incredibly full of myself, but please humor me). For the most part, I just had to mull over my idea for a couple of hours or a day, then open up a blank page and watch it magically get filled with coherent thoughts, often to even my own pleasant surprise. My second draft would usually be just a sanity check — filling in the blanks, moving bits around for better flow, and finding the perfect alternative words. And more often than not I would be proud of the yield from this creative process. Writer’s block was neither a dreaded enemy nor a familiar companion, merely a fleeting state of mind.

Growing my team meant trading writing for editorial direction — content strategy, topic selection, and review — all requiring creative input and expression but perhaps not as visceral as writing itself. Offering critique and direction gave me as much joy and took much less out of me.

Now that I want to get back to active writing after a few years, the creativity wellspring seems to have run dry. While the skeleton of an idea stays somewhere in the recesses of my brain, I wonder why it doesn’t break forth and pour itself out onto the blank page. Writer’s block is real, and while there are millions of block-busting articles on how to beat it, I’m sharing some thoughts on why it’s happening to me. Here are six reasons you may experience writer’s block and some ideas to deal with it — these are as much notes to self as potential tips for you.

You don’t write regularly

Creativity is a muscle — the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. When I wrote regularly, it was creativity on tap and I was often surprised by my own prolificity. Keep the tap running, even if at a trickle. Write and keep writing. Write on your blog, write on LinkedIn or Medium, write on your company intranet — anywhere, a little at a time, but regularly.

2. You’re worried that you’ve lost your mojo

The last couple of weeks have made me wonder if I’ve lost the ability to write. Fear of loss begets a perception of loss, but the fear may be unfounded. Don’t let under-confidence keep you from getting started. This blog post is not what I intended to write when I opened up a blank page this morning, but so far so good. Which brings me to my next point.

3. You don’t know enough about the topic

If I am able to put together a decent piece about writer’s block — oh the irony! — why am I blank when it comes to the topic I have in mind. The problem is I only have a vague idea for the topic. I don’t know exactly what I want to say; I don’t know what’s been said about it before; if a lot has been said, I don’t know how to say anything new. And I’m afraid of not having anything new to say. Do the research you need to set the foundation right. Read up enough to feel confident about the topic and makes notes that help you form a view even if you don’t have the right words yet.

4. You don’t feel strongly enough about the topic

Clearly, the frustration associated with the writer’s block I’m experiencing has prompted this piece. You need to feel for the topic you’re writing about — whether you feel positively or negatively about it, you need to have some strong feelings to tap into. And if you happen to write for a living, which may mean writing about things you don’t feel strongly for, start with regular personal writing on topics you do care about; then hopefully the creativity muscle will kick in for the topics that you care less about.

5. You’re just too impatient

Linked to feeling like I’ve lost my mojo, I keep thinking of how I could write so easily and quickly before and wonder why it takes so long now. And when I don’t find myself filling the open page within the first five minutes, I feel frustrated and give up. Give it time. Read up, mull over, read up and mull over some more, jot down scribbles and ramblings, and let the thoughts stay with you before you force them to come together.

6. You don’t have a deadline:

Nothing can stave off procrastination like a deadline can. When you don’t have a choice, and you have an imminent client or publication deadline, you will force yourself to write and feel a sense of achievement when you’re done. In my case, I’m just writing for myself and setting my own pace, which allows me the luxury to procrastinate. Set a deadline in your calendar and treat it as non-negotiable. And then just get the job done. On time.

So I’ve effectively used my dedicated three hours of writing time to post a piece that had nothing to do with what I wanted to write about. But maybe now that I’ve given my creativity muscle a bit of a workout, the piece I actually want to write will be easier. Or maybe not. But it’s a start.

P.S. I wrote this piece a while back and have only somewhat managed to beat my writer’s block since then. I’ve not been as prolific as I would have liked, but I’m reasonably satisfied with the few posts I’ve managed to put together.