How to Escape from Writer’s Block
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Most have experienced writer’s block at some point in their lives. We sit in front of a computer or a pad of paper and have no clue what to write. We may know what to write, but somehow, we lose the skill to type.
We become more and more stressed and frustrated the longer it persists. First, we make ourselves write and then over criticize ourselves about our ideas. Each sentence isn’t good enough, and each word losses meaning.
The Meaning of Writer’s Block
It means you don’t know what to write. It refers to the creative part, the content, or issues with articulating the ideas efficiently in words.
The United States publishing industry revenue increased just over $25 billion in 2020, according to Statista.
There were about 200,000 authors, writers, and technical writers in the US, as well as the millions of teachers, professors, students, and the many other writing professionals who write daily. Writer’s block may directly affect their income and performance.
What strategies work for writer’s block? How do professional writers deal with it? What causes it?
The following results were based on survey questions of 146 professional writers as volunteers (Ahmed & Güss, 2022).
The focused research suggests that the main reasons for writer’s block are physiological: lacking a “free” mind because of emotions, stress, or illness. The second reason is motivation: procrastinating and the overbearing fear of criticism. The third was cognitive: planning errors and perfectionism.
What techniques have professional writers created to block writer’s block?
Techniques:
- Do yoga
- Meditate
- Take a walk
- Eat and drink something
- Change your writing method or writing location
- Take a break or take more frequent breaks from writing. Sleep on it.
- Start a new writing project.
- Discuss ideas and ask for advice from others. But, of course, the dumbest question is the one never asked.
- Force yourself to keep writing
- Read a book
Most of these techniques may seem obvious and might have already applied ourselves when confronted with writer’s block. However, perhaps reading this article was enough to spark ideas to block out writer’s block.
