Chioma Eguzoraku
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The frustration is real. Isn’t it? You just sit there, stare at the blank page, and wait for the right words to pop up. Well, the muse won’t magically appear and inspire. It’s time to spring into action. All writers have been there, and done that. This is writer’s block symptoms and surprise, it has found you.
As maddening as it is, overcoming writer’s block symptoms is urgent, delicate, and subjective. There is no panacea to it. But there are definitely some handy tricks floating about the writer’s community to help.
Just like a doctor follows a carefully chalked-out plan, all authors and novelists tackle this inevitable enemy in a sequentially practical way.
If your creative juices refuse to flow, halt immediately, and adopt these tricks used by great writers, novelists, and creators. Get inspiration for writing again and smash that writer’s block in the face!
Writer’s block is a condition where the right words don’t click, the right thoughts don’t strike and consequently, a writer is unable to write. This situation is a major speed bump in otherwise free-flowing creative processes. Writer’s block is as old as writing and was officially granted a name in the 1940s by Edmund Bergler (psychiatrist).
Fear not. It is common and curable. We are going to identify the problem, analyze it, and cure it.
If you have a hunch that it’s writer’s block obstructing your writing, it is time to identify the symptoms.
Sit with this checklist and tick mark against these common writer’s block symptoms:
What is the verdict? It is writer’s block, isn’t it? (Yikes). Sit back. After identification, it is time to analyze the root cause.
After Bergler, psychologists Jerome Singer and Michael Barrios started exploring the reasons for this creative block. They assembled an entire team of creatively frozen and fecund writers, only to discover these four main causes of writer’s block:
Lack of external motivation: whereas it is extremely important to be internally motivated, extrinsic, or external motivation is a major benefactor too. Upliftment in the form of praise, attention, and recognition recharges and functions as an ego boost. Writers devoid of it have a fear of producing sub-par work and internalizing terror.
Anger can also trigger writer’s block. This anger stems from excessive self-criticism or feeling rejected too many times.
This is the fear of not being able to produce good enough work.
A monotonous, dull writing routine can incite writer’s block. It can make you apathetic to the art to the extent that you become passive.
All these major factors work in harmony to negatively influence a writer’s mind and deter him from producing quality work.
This dreaded part of a writer’s journey is easily curable. It is not a disease but simply writers own psychology playing tricks. Thankfully, there are practical ways to overcome writer’s block. Let’s jump directly to the twelve remedies on what to do if you have writer’s block.
Think about something else for a change and try to free-write without focusing on grammar, spelling, and the like. It will help to vent out your views effectively.
The best cure for writer’s block is to give it some time. Try doing something else and get back to your writing after days, weeks, or months.
Look at your work from a new angle. It’s better if you read it from an outsider’s point of view. This way you can easily spot and fill the gaps. Easier said than done. We know! There are a couple of exercises that can help you with this.
A walk in the woods is a breeze to the mind. Inhale some fresh air and let the exertion from a hike, release some endorphins so that happy thoughts flush your mind and improve your writing. This is a great remedy on how to get rid of writer’s block.
The idea here is to stop being technical and create a fresh draft like an amateur.
A change of environment can potentially motivate crisp new ideas and switch your mind frame and help unblock.
All creators have a routine that induces and intensifies their art creation. Fall back to this regime and dive mindfully deeper into it to explore and replenish.
Music and mental health are related like no other pair. Music is the single most powerful cure for a jilted heart or mind. Let the melodies of your favorite genre of music take you to a creative trance.
A hot or cold shower is a highly used practical method to unlock your creativity.
Self-deprecation is the biggest cause of writer’s block. Take a peek and see if you are being too harsh with yourself. Too much editing and rewriting hints towards this criticism.
Many times distractions stimulate writer’s block. Excessive notifications on your computer can be distracting you from work. Take some time off, switch off those devices, and write in the traditional ways – a fresh page, a fresh start. This is a prime example of a writer’s block cure.
To not break off from your flow of writing, it is better to continue it in separate chunks. Since the most difficult part is to establish a connection and it can be done towards the end.
Now you know what causes writer’s block, and how to cure writers block! Writer’s block can be a difficult and frustrating experience, but it is important to remember that it is a normal part of the creative process. By understanding the symptoms of writer’s block and taking the necessary steps to break through it, you can find yourself back on the path to creative success.
