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There are so many approaches to how to deal with writers block out there… I bet you’ve never heard about this!
I’ve been struggling with this for as long as I remember.
After two years of deep inner work, tons of journaling, and hours of therapy, I’ve just recently started to break through in my creative healing journey.
I’ve also been finding more and more tools and tricks to make my writing process easier — and I love sharing them.
In this post, I’m sharing a real writers block cure that helped me immensely to fight procrastination and open up in my writing.
Before you try any writer’s block exercises, try this!
I’m gonna walk you through what I did. And I’m very curious if this is gonna be as helpful for you as it was for me, so I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
Let’s jump right in!
This post is all about how to deal with writers block.
🛑 What is writer’s block?
A couple of weeks ago, I had to ask myself a very scary question.
What if it’s not for me?
What if I’m not in love with writing but just with the idea of it?
You see, I’ve been dealing with this strange thing for a very long time. Tell me if it sounds familiar:
There’s a storm of ideas in your head. So many that it seems like one life is not enough for them all.
Once you sit down to work on your writing piece — empty. Blocked. Completely.
And every time you think it’s going to be different, it repeats…
According to Wikipedia, writer’s block is a non-medical condition in which an author is either unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown.
Sounds about right?
So finally, I decided to carry out a little investigation. I was like OK, if I’ve been pretending my whole life to be passionate about writing, it’s time to admit it. But if not, I need to understand what’s going on.
By the way, here’s my YouTube video on the topic:
But first of all…
🤔 What causes writer’s block?
There are so many reasons a writer can find themselves in the grip of a creative slump.
These could range from a fear of rejection, where a writer may worry that their work will not be perceived well by others; to perfectionism, where they constantly strive for an unattainable ideal in their work.
Imposter syndrome can also play a significant role, with writers doubting their abilities and fearing that they will be exposed as fraud.
Ego can also hinder creativity; if a writer is overly concerned with their image or reputation, they may struggle to truly express themselves. (Check out my post on how to stop worrying about others and focus on yourself.)
Additionally, setting overly high expectations can be a roadblock to creativity, as it can create unnecessary pressure and inhibit the free flow of ideas.
Finally, a lack of self-compassion can lead to a creative slump. (Try my guided self-compassion meditation on YouTube.)
If a writer is overly critical of themselves, it can stifle their creativity and prevent them from taking the necessary risks to produce truly innovative work.
These are just a few of the numerous potential obstacles to creativity in writing.
RELATED POST: How to Cure Writer’s Block? 3 Best Tips
👩🏻💻 Writer’s block symptoms
Here are just a few common ones:
- Feeling unable to come up with ideas to write about;
- Having tons of ideas but not being able to get the work started;
- Being unable to get past a certain point in the writing process;
- Having anxiety when thinking about writing;
- Feeling the need to comfort yourself (eat a snack, scroll on social media, etc.) anytime you’re about to write;
- Losing passion for writing altogether;
- Unable to focus on your creative work.
RELATED POST: Message for Someone Going Through a Hard Time (+ Guided Meditation)
⏰ How long does writer’s block last?
For as long as you let it last. No, seriously.
However, don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
If you’re burned out (work, studies, life, writing itself — doesn’t matter) and need rest, take a break! It will be beneficial for your creativity.
Take some time to focus on fun things that bring you joy. Let yourself play and not worry about the outcome. Go on an artist date!
To learn about artist dates, check out one of my favorite books on creativity — Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
I also recommend checking out this list of books on creativity, spirituality, and success that changed my life.
So how to deal with writers block? Let’s find out!
RELATED POST: How to Get Out of a Creative Block: Try This Meditation (+ Video!)
📝 Two questions to ask yourself
So I started by asking myself…
When do I find it easiest to write?
The answer was… when I journal. As in, write things down to just process or remember them. Let’s call it my “journaling voice”.
When do I find it most difficult to write?
When I try to write a perfect piece that is planned in my content calendar. Let’s call this one my “writing voice”.
Now, if you’re trying to build something with your art, like a brand or business, journaling about whatever comes to mind and hoping it can be used for future work seems too frivolous.
It’s too risky to rely on chance like that if you have a creative goal you’re working toward.
But also… If you’re getting too serious and anxious about it, to the point where you’re struggling every time you need to get the actual work done… That is neither productive nor enjoyable.
So what do we do?
🕵🏾♂️ Finding the roots of your writer’s block anxiety
Here comes the curious part.
Apparently, my anxiety comes in not because I have to WRITE per se (which I thought was the case).
I discovered that…
- When I’m using my “journaling voice”, I get anxious once I start EDITING my text to turn it into something good-looking, with a perspective of using it for a video afterward. It’s about making it a good piece of writing.
- When I am using my “writing voice”, my anxiety comes in before I even start. Why? Because my “writing voice” wants the text to be impeccable from the jump.
So it’s not writing that makes me scared.
It’s the pressure of wanting it to be perfect, outstanding, exceptional — whatever word is the scariest.
And that’s when I breathed a sigh of relief.
Oh. My. God. It means I can be saved.
The dignity of my love for writing was secured.
It’s just this fear of creating a thing that is not good enough that is engraved so deeply in my mind that it feels like I’d rather not even bother.
I was one step closer to figuring out how to deal with writers block.
That felt like a good start so I continued my investigation.
🖊️ How to deal with writers block: Use this approach
The next question was:
How do I stay in my “journaling voice” while still checking off boxes in my “Writing To-Do” list?
How do I create pieces that are worth publishing, without missing deadlines, but also without pulling my hair out?
The answer came to me in the shape of a metaphor.
There are two sides of us.
Our “writing voice” is our inner parent.
Our inner “mom” or “dad” side. Pretty controlling, pretty harsh. Very serious. A perfectionist.
Our “journaling voice” is our inner child.
Our childlike and childish side. In love with creating without any burdens or restrictions, not thinking of where it’s all going.
So what if I divide my tasks between the two?
What if they both have things to do that fit them perfectly, so they don’t interfere with each other?
If I let my “writing voice”, my grown-up side, pick topics, decide what I need to cover, do all the planning, all the research…
And then I let my “journaling voice” create freely?
As for editing and polishing the piece…
I will risk it and leave it to my “journaling voice”… Provided that my “writing voice” can be present and get involved, but only if things get out of hand.
So, the controlling side gets to control, the creative side gets to create.
Now, I might be sounding crazy right now… But it’s already working!
What you’re reading right now, was practically the first piece finished by me using this, to put it mildly, interesting approach.
I am rather excited about this little collaboration of the different sides of me that I just initiated.
Now I’m gonna go and have a little party with all of them because they and I deserve it.
If you try this method, I’d be happy to hear how it goes!
This post was all about how to deal with writers block.
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When Someone Makes Fun of You… For Your Art
How to Develop Self-Discipline (Without Trying Too Hard)
Everything is a Story (Uplifting Message to a Creative Person)
