How to Handle Writer's Block

Writer’s Block can be frustrating. Progress grinds to a halt, and it suddenly feels impossible to get the words on the page. When I was younger, I would often find myself stuck for days (or sometimes even months) before I could continue on. That all changed after I encountered one very valuable piece of writing advice, which I read in Spilling Ink: A Young Writer’s Handbook by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter. Mazer and Potter (2010) explained that sometimes Writer’s Block simply means that you’re trying to force the story in the wrong direction. There are, of course, other possibilities addressed in the book, but after reading that, I began to evaluate my work more critically whenever I found myself unable to progress. Taking a moment to truly consider why the characters were there, why they were doing this particular action, and why I was spending time describing it really changed things for me. I deleted pages and pages of work because of this advice, but never once did I regret it. I removed scenes that were boring or unnecessary or required out-of-character actions.

As I learned more about writing and my own writing style, I learned how to quickly recognize what was driving my Writer’s Block. I knew when I was mentally exhausted and simply needed a break. I knew when I had a great outline for a scene, but my skill was still lacking. And I knew when I needed to take a step back and re-evaluate. For me, the big difference between the first two reasons and the last reason involves my imagination. If I can picture it vividly in my head, then all I need to do is find the words. That may not be easy (and it may take quite some time), but pushing myself is the only way I’ll improve at my craft.

If, however, the scene is almost impossible to imagine, like I’m watching a blurry movie with the volume set far too low, then maybe the story itself has a problem I need to address. Before, it would take pages and pages to identify these problems, leaving me with no choice other than deleting whole chapters. Now, since I’ve grown more adept at recognizing these issues, I usually only need to delete a few paragraphs, or one full scene at most.

It was impressive to me how beneficial this simple piece of advice was given how great of a problem Writer’s Block can be. I certainly recommend giving it a try, even if you don’t end up deleting anything. Simply taking some time to critically evaluate your own work, especially when you’re struggling to write, can be invaluable. Today, Writer’s Block does not plague me nearly as much as it used to, and when it does, I can manage it faster and easier. I hope you can find your own way to manage it, too!

References
Mazer, A., & Potter, E. (2010). Spilling ink: A young writer’s handbook (illustrated ed.). Square Fish