Why you get writer's block - and what you can do about it
In this blog:
Sometimes when you sit down to write, the words come with ease. Other times, they’re nowhere to be seen.
You can't predict which scenario you’ll find yourself in each time you take pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard.
Writer’s block can present itself at the start of a writing project or at any random point during a project. It may even appear right at the end, when you thought you were almost finished.
In this article, I’m going to share three key causes of writer’s block and some practical advice and tactics for overcoming it. Every method shared has helped me in the past.
What is writer’s block?
I hadn’t intended to include a definition in this article. Then as part of my research, and rite of passage, I looked at Wikipedia. The Wikipedia writer’s block article starts with:
‘Writer's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author is unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown. This creative stall is not a result of commitment problems or the lack of writing skills.
The condition ranges from difficulty in coming up with original ideas to being unable to produce a work for years. Writer's block is not solely measured by time passing without writing. It is measured by time passing without productivity in the task at hand.’
I’ve included this summary as it stood out for a few reasons:
The fact the description says it's a condition
The sheer breadth of the problem is noted; from new ideas to more long-term writing
Writer's block is linked to ‘productivity’ - and not time itself
I particularly like that third point above. It’s all too easy to confuse ‘being busy’ with ‘being productive’. I could walk 50 minutes and feel like I was making progress. But it would be untrue if I was walking in the wrong direction; a waste of both my time and energy.
With writing, you could write an excellent chapter and then not write again for two months. That doesn’t mean you’ve been unproductive - quite the opposite.
Writer’s block becomes a catalyst for a lack of productivity when there is time to write, and you don't - or can’t.
Possible causes of writer’s block
Why do we experience writer’s block? And do we writers just use writer’s block as an excuse?
It is very much a real experience for me, and it’s frustrating because it’s impossible to know when it will strike next. More interestingly perhaps, is thinking about some of the possible causes for writer’s block. Here are the three that I’ve experienced most during my writing career.
🔎 Related: Talking content with Fourth Wall Content’s Rob Mills
Lack of clarity about what you need to write
If you don’t know what you need to write, it'll be a struggle to get started - or you’ll reach a ‘block’ somewhere along the way. This situation presents itself when there is no clear brief. If a request is vague, confusion will prevail, and nobody likes feeling confused or unsure about what's needed.
For example, take a look at the following two theoretical briefs, and, based on the prospect of writing an article for each, imagine how your feelings might differ between them:
Brief A: “We need something on typewriters for the blog”
Brief B: “We need around 1,200 words about the history of the Remington Typewriter. Focus on the first version in 1873 to their second machine in 1878. It’s an informational piece as part of our typewriter celebration week series”
‘Brief B’ still isn’t a brilliant brief, but you can see how the more specific the request, the easier it will potentially be to write.
Open briefs can offer creative freedom - and that can be good to a degree - so long as it isn’t detrimental to productivity.
I think, at the very least, writers need to understand upfront:
What you need to write
Why you need to write it (i.e. its goal and purpose)
Who it’s for
Where it'll be published
This provides a good starting block, rather than it being an open-ended request. The latter leaves the writer with too many questions, and not enough enthusiasm.
Incidentally, the Content Marketing Institute has a helpful guide for creating better content briefs.
Emotions and mood holding you back
As writers, we have to accept that even if we want to be productive, sometimes that isn’t going to be the case. The key, and challenge, is finding out why. Why can it be so difficult to get started or finish a particular piece of content?
There will usually be a reason behind the writer’s block and sometimes that reason is ourselves.
Emotions and moods can hold us back. You could be tired, bored or uninspired. Or indeed, all three! There might be something important playing on your mind.
These are all valid reasons for struggling to write. And, unless you deal with the core issue, the words may not be back anytime soon.
When an hour, day or week has passed and there's been no writing, those negative feelings can soon turn to guilt.
The guilt can make it very difficult to move beyond the blank page, and we can soon find ourselves in a vicious circle.
Impostor syndrome instilling fear
The final cause I want to focus on is one which I regularly see as a topic of content and UX articles and conference talks: Impostor syndrome.
Let’s assume that you have a clear brief for what you need to write (yay client). Let's also assume that you’re feeling great (yay you). Yet when it comes to writing, there’s a fear. The self-doubt creeps. The negative narrative your inner monologue takes starts to surface:
“I don’t know what I’m doing”
“There are so many better/more qualified writers than me”
“Whatever I write will never be good enough”
These are self-told constructs. It’s telling that in this situation we don’t say to ourselves:
“I’m an experienced writer and I am qualified to write this article”
“I’m hired because of my ability”
“I’m an expert on this topic and can write an excellent piece”
We let the impostor syndrome dominate. This can send us on a downward spiral that does not lead to productivity.
I think it’s important to note here that impostor syndrome is a bigger experience beyond the confines of writer’s block. Both can be rooted in a desire for perfectionism, acceptance and success.
Nine tactics for overcoming writer’s block
Navigating through some of the causes I’ve outlined above isn’t always going to be a quick process, but what follows are some tactics writers can use to help put writer’s block aside and make progress through productivity.
I have used all the tactics below. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. The key is to work through them as you choose, until you become ‘unstuck’.
1. Write an outline or plan
Making time to draft a plan or outline for your article will give you a structure to work from. The final draft may change from the initial plan, which is fine, but it can still be helpful to jot down what you think you will cover and how it will fit together.
I did that for this article. I had headings such as ‘introduction’, ‘causes’, ‘tactics’ and then added notes under each of those. It was a quick and short outline, but it developed as I started to research and write.
The reason this helps me is that I can get all my ideas down in one place. Then when I come back to the document to start writing or to write more, it's helpful having something already there I can refer back to.
2. Grab a notebook and write anything
Start typing or writing, do word association - or don’t even think about it. This can help to get into the rhythm of writing and it can be freeing too. It’s also a nice opportunity for me to share a tip from a far greater writer than I, Stephen Fry.
In 2008, Stephen Fry was very active on Twitter and followed back a lot of his followers, including me. He was also known to respond to direct messages around that time too, like the one I sent him. I DM’d and asked him how he overcame writer’s block. His response was:
‘I combat WB by writing a diary, just a stream of words in which I talk to myself about how I can’t write. Primes the pump. X’
It does work. So next time you're staring at a blank piece of paper or screen, write. Anything. Then the words you need will follow, once the pump has been primed.
🔎 Related: The power of shaking stuff up
3. Don’t fret about your first draft
That last tactic leads into this one - which is not to fret the first draft. Once the first draft is down, no matter how good or bad you consider it to be, the next phase can be less daunting.
As you move to the second draft and beyond, editing replaces writing. You can work your content into a state that you’re proud of.
And don’t worry about reaching perfection the first time around; that’s an unnecessary pressure to put upon yourself.
4. Give yourself a deadline
If there is no deadline then it’s all too easy to put off writing.
“I’ll start tomorrow”, “I’ll come back to it next week”, “I have plenty of time” etc are all thoughts I’ve had.
If a deadline isn’t set by a client or the publication I am writing for, I’ll set my own. From there, I can schedule the time I need to get the writing done.
I block out chunks of time in line with my own workflow, and I usually do this in my calendar. This includes allocating time for research, outlining a first draft, working on structure, edits and final proofreading.
Breaking it down into a series of stages makes it seem less intimidating a task and something I can focus on bit by bit. I consciously leave time between tasks too, so I can complete other work or have a break. Never underestimate the value of fresh eyes.
5. Take time out and stop working
It seems contradictory to suggest stopping work in order to be productive, but sometimes this is the best approach. It’s ok to need a break, whether that’s for an hour or much longer. If stepping away for a while means that when you come back the writing is easier, that break has been time well spent.
Having a break can work wonders. It’s the same when you’re doing a jigsaw and can’t find a specific piece. Leave it for a bit, come back, and then it feels like that piece is staring right back at you.
The same is true if you lose your keys. The minute you stop looking, there they are.
How many times have you had something on the tip of your tongue? Then hours later when you aren’t thinking about it, the name/memory/thing pops into your mind uninvited?
Because you aren’t writing, it doesn’t mean you aren’t still ‘working’. I find a walk will do wonders for my own writing and I often mentally write an outline or draft whilst walking.
6. Remove the blank canvas
If an empty page is too worrying, remove the blank canvas. You can achieve this by having a content brief or outline as mentioned before. It can also help if you have a structure to work with rather than an infinite white space to fill.
Create your own structure or ask your client for one*. It can help to break down the requirements into more manageable chunks you can then tackle, one-by-one.
(*That’s not to say they will tell you what to write in detail. Some blogs I've written for had guidelines in place that formed the basis of a light structure. It was a list of what they expect from all guest articles.)
7. Set a goal for your content
There has to be a purpose to whatever you’re writing. As well as understanding the topic and audience, decide what the goal is for the content. Is it to:
Educate readers?
Encourage a specific action?
Increase brand reach/awareness?
Raise your own profile?
Promote a particular product or service?
Answer a common question your audience has?
When you know the purpose or goal, that can be a good place to start from. It will also help with other tactics such as outlining your content.
🔎 Related: 7 purposeful goals to create your own content
8. Environment, routine and process
“Tidy desk, tidy mind” - so they say.
I believe the environment I write in, my routine, and my process are all directly correlated to my productivity.
I’m most productive when I sit at my desk with the sound of the rain beating down (being UK-based, this is often the case, unfortunately). Even on sunny days I will still play thunderstorm noises as my chosen audio accompaniment.
Being comfortable, having a routine and a clear process are all helpful. It's worth taking the time to find the setup conditions that work best for you.
9. Use a writing tool that deletes your work
This is a fun one to finish the article with. ‘The Most Dangerous Writing App’ from Squibler starts to delete your work if you stop typing. You can generate a prompt to get you going, or jump straight in, freestyle.
It’s extreme and intense and a bit too much for me, but if you work best under pressure, check it out and get the blood pumping as well as the words.
Strive for progress, not perfection
Writers can never control if, when, and how they experience writer’s block. We can, however, control whether we let it linger.
Try to identify the cause of your writer’s block and deal with the root issue if possible. Then work through the tactics in this article to get started with your writing.
It may be that you need to try a few of them before something works (and you might even find that the winning one may be different each time).Remind yourself that whatever words you start with, you can change and improve further down the line. Once you’re going, it’s easier to keep going.
Strive for progress, not perfection.
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