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On Writer's Block

... and how to get "unstuck"

By S. Eliza GregoryPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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I don’t think I’ve ever really understood the concept of writer’s block. I know there are times where we don’t know what to write next. I’ve always got ideas, but sometimes I’m uninspired. However, that’s the thing with writing—you’re not going to be inspired or motivated all of the time. In fact, most days you won’t be. There will be occasions when you get stuck, and you’re not sure what to do next. But you’re not blocked.

There’s no such thing as writer’s block.

That is a concept that amateur writers think exists, because they think we all sit down, inspired to make magic happen every day. We don’t. I used to be one of those amateur writers. In fact, there are still days where I don’t write, but for the most part I’ve developed a habit. That’s the important thing—develop the habit of writing every day. You don’t have to work on the same project every day. And that’s really what I’m here to talk to you about…

How to Get Yourself “Unstuck”

It’s really very simple. But it's probably something that you don't want to hear. You're reading this right now because you want some magic potion to fix your issues with writing—something that will allow the words to flow without your inner editor screaming at you (I find that there is a magic potion for this—it's called Vodka). The truth is—the solution is much simpler than that.

Words tend to flow once you sit your butt in a chair, and start making things happen. Start typing about your day. Describe your surroundings in excruciating detail. If you start writing “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” over and over again, eventually your brain will find something else to write. Maybe you’ll start writing about the film, The Shining, or the book by Stephen King, or maybe you’ll start writing about how you feel overwhelmed at work, and you don’t get enough free time. This can spiral into another idea. Need a place to do this? Check out 750words.com.

The bottom line is, you could write anything. It may not be applicable to your current work in progress, but it doesn’t matter because you’re still writing. You’re still honing your craft—a craft that none of us master, according to Ernest Hemingway. Just get the fingers moving!

“Nothing will work unless you do.” – Maya Angelou

Just because you didn’t work on your current WIP, doesn’t mean you can’t make progress in some way. Work on a blog, work on a short story, work on a different novel idea, brainstorm a new project, and when you’re not doing all of those things, read!

You should always be making progress towards your future self.

There’s a lot of inspirational quotes online—some of which say something like, “will the you five years from now look back and regret not taking those forward steps to get closer to your dream?”

Stop trying to skip the struggle. If writing were easy, everyone would do it. Instead, people romanticize the idea of being a writer. I’m still not sure why. There is something about it that people find alluring when really most of us have had times when we skipped showering, brushing our teeth, and eating in order to down more coffee, and churn out that next chapter. When you’re a writer, you’re essentially playing God. You are creating characters, moments, places, and events from nothing. It’s exhaustive work.

Understandably, sometimes you don’t feel like playing God, but in order to hone the craft, you need to work at it every day. It will be a struggle.

Write every day as though it were breathing.

I hope things are going well for those of you who are participating in Camp NaNo this month. If you find yourself running out of steam, it’s okay. It happens. If you feel stuck, don’t be afraid to skip around in your story, or work on something else. You can always come back. Your work isn’t going anywhere without you.

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About the Creator

S. Eliza Gregory

S. Eliza Gregory is a science-fiction and fantasy author. Her debut novel, In Articulo Mortis, is currently available on Amazon. She also hosts her own website and blog at https://www.selizagregory.com

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