Bored with your writing? Days and weeks drift past, and you haven’t written a word. Let’s look at how you can write, even if you feel you can’t.
You may be blocked because:
- A project hit a wall.
- You’re stressed. Perhaps it’s family, health, work, finances…
- Something isn’t working. You had high hopes for a book, spent big on advertising, but sales are slow.
- There’s no time. You’re working two jobs, have a sick child, your partner left…
Maybe this is you:
You have unrealistic expectations and expect too much from yourself. Try this: avoid any concept of “should.” Give yourself a break. Sometimes life gets in the way. It’s okay to put your writing on the back burner for now if you’re overwhelmed.
Keep writing: write anyway
Over the past couple of weeks, several writers have asked for advice because they’re blocked. Their inspiration has vanished. They have time and want to write, but can’t.
Let’s look at some strategies which may help.
1. Ask yourself questions: write the answers
When you have resistance to writing, take Ray Bradbury’s advice and relax.
Put your projects aside for now.
When you can, ask yourself questions.
Write the questions (handwriting is best) and write the answers.
You might ask what’s causing your block; how you might overcome it. Try writing this phrase: “Important things I don’t know…” and keep writing. It’s helpful to set a timer for five or ten minutes to set limits.
2. Describe your situation, as vividly as you can
This can be challenging. Firstly, because you would rather not look at the situation, it’s easier to numb yourself with social media or binging a series on Netflix. Something is blocking you, and looking at it makes for discomfort.
Secondly, once you’ve made yourself uncomfortable, you can get annoyed. You can berate yourself, complain, or assign blame.
Instead, make the situation concrete.
In Accidental Genius: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight, and Content, Mark Levy suggests:
If you’re having trouble reliving the situation on paper, follow the wise advice of Peter Elbow, who tells his students: “To hell with words, see something.” … What counts is that you see, hear, touch, smell, and taste the situations you’re visiting…
3. Contemplation: accept your challenge, and plan
Thinking about anything is hard. We’d rather not, thank you.
However, to make changes, you need to see clearly. When you do, you can accept the implied challenge and fix it.
Yes, you’ll feel discomfort again. Believe me, I know. At times, I’m the Queen of Avoidance. Needs must, however. When you’re blocked, you’re unhappy. Writers are happier writing than when they’re not, so contemplate your situation.
Challenge yourself with a plan and work that plan.
4. Write something new: be outrageous
A writer was “writing to market”. He became so depressed, he couldn’t write.
Here’s what I know: you write for yourself first.
If you don’t write for your creative self, your creativity dies. Something in you gives up, and you’re blocked.
Grab a piece of paper and write: “If I could write anything, I’d write…” Keep writing.
Write about:
- That dream you had last night.
- Big goals: choose one you’d like to achieve—make it real for yourself, with sensory details.
- A To-Do list. (Seriously.)
Write: a word, a sentence, and a paragraph (or chat to yourself)
Do it.
Right now.
Your Write Path: Use Journaling To Grow Your Strength, Courage, And Confidence, Starting Today
Wish you could journal? Your friends love the practice, but it never works for you. You’re uncertain how to start.
You CAN journal: do it your way
Although I journal every day, it took me years to develop a consistent habit. Often I talked myself out of it. I convinced myself that even ten minutes of writing was a "waste of time." Somehow I squared that with scrolling through social media for half an hour at a stretch—obviously, I was adept at lying to myself.
Writing has power, but do it your way; there aren’t any rules. Use fancy notebooks or text files... And you’ll subtly change, without struggle. Find yourself becoming more positive and confident.
You don’t need any prompts or exercises, but you will find some in this book.
If you're a writer or other creative, you'll find ways to make your journal your most vital and powerful tool.
- Develop a practice, even in five minutes a day.
- Set goals and achieve them without stress.
- Boost your mood anytime you need it.
- Develop your intuition, even if you’ve been happily ignoring it for years.
