Overcoming Writer’s Block

2021 was kind of an unusual year for me. By the end of May, I had completed a solid draft of my second novel (the sequel to “After the Lenses”) and had established a steady rhythm of editing/rewriting one chapter per week.

But when life got crazy in the summer, that discipline began to fall apart. And it wasn’t until late in the year, like November or December, that I was able to even begin to think about revisiting my book.

Writing is like working out. You have to start out with low weight and few repetitions, then gradually increase your way up to your targeted goal. Often, it can take weeks, or even months, to get back up to speed.

Here are some things I have been doing to “get back into shape”:

Start off with short pieces. Like poetry or flash fiction. The beauty of these genres is that they are short, free-flowing, and have minimal structure. You can write about any topic and you can always start over without sacrificing more than a few sentences.

If you are having a difficult time getting into it,  I would recommend giving yourself a time limit of five minutes. If you need something with a little more structure, try writing haiku (5-7-5) in five minutes or less.

Find some free contests to enter. Nothing too involved, because your focus is not to win, but to give yourself some kind of accountability. The expectation of a payoff, no matter how small, can usually be enough motivation to begin flexing your creative muscles. For myself, I searched for short essay, poetry, and flash fiction contests. They had to be free to enter and offer a prize, such as a small cash reward, some kind of print (not online) publication, or a free class.

However, if something like this doesn’t sound appealing, you can always ask a friend (whose opinion you value) to read your work and give you feedback. Tell them you will send them the material by the end of the week, and then ask them to discuss it with you the following week. That way, you create some accountability for yourself but without the pressure of public criticism.

If you need inspiration, read something before you write. Borrow some books from the library: a novel in your genre; a magazine or book related to the topic or theme of your story; and/or a book about the craft. At your desk (or where ever you like to write), sit down and read a few pages to get yourself into the mindset of writing. Allow your brain to follow the path that has been laid out for it. Then, get to it.

Personally, I like to read the newspaper — yes, the actual physical paper — but that’s just me. Find whatever works for you and use it.

Finally, use these exercises to build structure into your day. Read something, write something, then establish a deadline. Everyday. Just like working out, your strength, flexibility, and confidence will develop with these small successes. Then, you can easily move on to bigger things like those chapters you left behind six months ago, or that story outline you wrote for that creative writing class back in 2006 (which is probably still relevant).

The primary thing is to try to push yourself a little more each day. And when your life goes sideways (which it will), remember to pick yourself up and try again. Because no matter how many times you fail, if you continue to have hope, you will eventually become a great writer, and an even better person.

Thanks and Good Luck!