The Problem with Writer's Block
How do you solve a problem like writer’s block?
One option is to view it not as a problem but as a warning system. There is indeed a problem, but the block is merely a symptom.
Maybe we’re not getting enough sleep or exercise. We might not be eating right, or we’re dealing with lots of stress. All this and more can cloud our minds and prevent the words from getting out. And within those writing difficulties is a message: Take better care of yourself. Simply going for a long walk might help in some cases.
But sometimes we get stuck even if we are taking care of ourselves and we aren’t struggling with a ton of stress. In such cases, writer’s block is often our instincts warning us about a problem in the manuscript. We’re heading down the wrong path, and we need to course-correct before we get in too deep and have to do that much more work to set things right.
When I get stuck on a particular scene, I can usually backtrack and find something that needs fixing. It might be that the entire scene is misguided and is about to set off a chain reaction that will steer the book right into a dead end. By scrapping it and figuring out a better approach, I both resolve the writer’s block and improve the book.
Or perhaps some details need to be added earlier to solidify the scene and give it life. So, I play time-traveler and journey back several chapters, change something, and return to a different present that gives me more to work with. And then I’ve got it.
Occasionally, if I’m lucky, I might just need to rewrite the last sentence, and that will give me the springboard I need to keep going.
One way or another, I’m struggling with the scene because I’m realizing something isn’t quite right. Once I figure that out, everything starts flowing again.
While this may not be a 100% cure for writer’s block for all writers, it’s seldom a pointless exercise. There’s always something to improve.
Writer’s block is never pleasant, but if we listen, we may realize it’s trying to tell us something.
Proofreading Exercise
Can you spot the error?
Other Recent Posts
If you’re interested in writing for children at all, I have some advice: Watch Fraggle Rock.
Also, my series on historical nonfiction continues over at God of the Desert Books. Check out the second post below (and the third might be up by the time you read this)!
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