Whenever I see a list of questions people have for working writers, ‘How do you get over writer’s block?’ is near the top. I understand why this is such a common question. A lot of people seem to deal with this issue, and until I figured out my process, it happened to me a lot.
Writer’s block can be a lot of things. For me, it was happening because I was trying to pants my way through a novel, and I would write myself off a cliff and get stuck, not knowing how to resolve a conflict, or even what I wanted to happen next. I failed writing at least three books this way. I still have no idea what to do with them.
When I realized I was a plotter and not a pantser, this got better. I’ve finished 12 books since 2019, and didn’t get stuck in the middle of any of them. Now, before I even start writing, I have a plan for how to get through the story and how the central conflicts will be resolved. This does not have to be the plan, but it is a plan to fall back on. I usually change and modify the scaffolding as I go along, leaving room for inspiration along the way.
Coincidentally, I think this is what’s happened the George RR Martin, and why the Game of Thrones Books don’t seem like they’ll be finished anytime soon. He is, famously, a pantser, and I think he’s stuck. Everyone yelling at him to get to work isn’t helping. This is not the kind of thing you can brute force. Maybe he needs to make a plan? I don’t know, some writers are allergic to that type of thing.
But that’s not the only type of writer’s block people talk about. Sometimes, the problem is that you don’t have any idea to write about at all, or at least not one you find exciting. This is something I have a little bit of trouble relating to. I have novel and story ideas coming out of my ears. When people ask, ‘where do you get your ideas?.’ My response is ‘how do you make them stop?’ (I don’t really want it to stop). But I will say if you are searching for inspiration, it can be good to visit someplace you’ve never been before, and/or read a nonfiction book or listen to a podcast about something you are not already familiar with. Expand your mind into a new area and start making connections with things you already know. Or talk to someone new and listen to their life story. If you can do any of those things and not come away with dozens of story ideas, I’m not sure how to help you. There are story ideas everywhere, just open your mind to them and they will find you.
There’s another thing we talk about when we talk about writer’s block, and it has no easy solution. This is the kind I still struggle with sometimes. When my mental health takes a dive into depression or a mixed episode, I find it impossible to summon the energy to write. Everything seems pointless and even if I want to, I cannot make myself write. This is obviously not a problem with writing specifically, but with mental health, and that needs to be attended to, however its best to do that for yourself. I do know the very worst thing you can do to yourself when you are in that situation is to put pressure on yourself to ‘get back to work.’ Yes, writing can be therapeutic at times but making it a source of stress is only going to make the problem worse. When this happens to me, I take some time off and attend to whatever the root of the problem is. Most of the time it has nothing to do with my writing at all, but some other life circumstance boiling under the surface. Journaling helps as it helps me process what’s going on while keeping my language skills in practice. Therapy has also been a godsend here, though I know that’s not an option for everyone.
So, sometimes Writer’s block happens because you’ve taken a wrong turn in a project and your intuition is screaming at you to fix it, or you just haven’t properly worked out what should happen next. Sometimes you need to refill your well of information by engaging with new information, and sometimes it’s a symptom of a broader metal health issue. It can also be a symptom of exhaustion, in which case the best thing you can do is give yourself some stress-free time off. You might also, if you’re feeling stuck, try free-writing or mixing up your process. If you’re normally a pantser, make a plan. If you’re normally a plotter, pants your way through a couple of scenes and see where it leads you. You might surprise yourself. Maybe you need to find an understanding friend (or pet) and talk out the problem. They probably won’t even need to say anything, the solution will come to you as you explain it.
Writer’s block is something every writer will deal with in one way or another, whatever for it takes for you. It is, however, a bump in the road, not a burning bridge. There are many ways over and through it, you just have to find the one that works for you.