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Gaining Clarity from Writer's Block

When the words won't flow and you type, delete and re-type paragraphs, it's time to stop

By wanderlusterPublished 2 years ago 4 min read
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Gaining Clarity from Writer's Block
Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

It's eight o'clock on a Monday evening, and I have the urge to write. As a full-time copywriter and a freelance writer, I spend almost every day writing something. Sometimes it's about tech or my love for my dog Arlo Moon, and sometimes it's about random things like recognizing the strength that comes with silence. I am always writing. So you can imagine that I go somewhat crazy when I can't write or get stuck in the endless loop known as writer's block.

Today, I didn't do any writing. I work for an incredible company that gave us all the day off to take care of ourselves, which meant I didn't do my day job of writing content for a tech company.

As someone who lives to write, I was thinking about what I could write about all day. I got a big old goose egg. Then I looked in my drafts folder and realized that I had two stories just sitting there.

Instead of reworking or finishing those drafts, I am writing about writer's block. After all, writer's block is why I have articles in my drafts folder. I'm a relatively fast writer (once I get on a roll, I'm gone), so each article taking over three hours to write was a major red flag. Neither draft is polished, finished, or up to my standards.

I mostly stared at the ceiling, tapping on the "G" key and pressing "delete"—all telltale signs that I had writer's block. I used the rest of my time writing mediocre copy solely to get something on the page. The result? Two stories I will probably never publish.

If you're thinking, "What a colossal waste of time," I'm right there with you. But writer's block can be a powerful tool, despite being infuriating. It clarified when to stop and what to avoid, what to do to get over writer's block, and how to write stellar content.

Just stop already

By Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

As writers, many of us don't know when to stop, or rather, we don't want to stop. The talent lies in knowing when to stop writing, when to stop editing, and when to scrap everything. It's a skill I'm still honing, but thanks to writer's block, I am slowly learning how to stop.

As I sat there spinning my wheels for hours, I finally realized that I was getting nowhere. Instead of spending another hour going 'round 'n 'round, I stopped. It was unfinished, messy, and not worth wasting any more time.

Writer's block also showed me that sometimes you're just stuck and need to take a break, but other times, you don't have a strong enough viewpoint on the subject to make it worth it. When I looked back at the topics, I quickly realized that I didn't have a firm opinion either way. Thank you, writer's block, for giving me that clarity!

Move aside, writer's block

By Thought Catalog on Unsplash

It's obvious when you hit that brick wall. As I shared earlier, I stare at the ceiling and repeatedly tap on the same key as I try to think of what to type. But when you're writing a brilliant piece where you have a valuable point of view to share and you're just stuck, there are a few tricks you can use to conquer writer's block.

  1. Put your computer to sleep. I close my laptop so I can look at anything other than what I'm working on. Sometimes I watch TV or go for a walk to take my mind off the content. It helps clear my head, so when I go back to write, my mind is free from all that clutter.
  2. Find inspiration. As a writer, I need to be inspired to create quality work. I find travel exceptionally inspiring, so if I'm stuck, I spend a good half hour looking at things to do in New Zealand, planning a road trip, or scrolling through Instagram looking at gorgeous destinations. Whatever your inspiration, seek it out and spend time with it so when you open your laptop again, you're excited and full of new ideas.
  3. Start from scratch. Sometimes I get so caught up in creating a flow with what I have already written that I get stuck in a rut. If the first two tricks don't work, I click the "delete" key and start from scratch.

4. Focus your energy elsewhere. Instead of pouring energy into the two semi-written pieces sitting in my drafts, I wrote something else. And you know what happened? I wrote two spectacular stories that have received rave reviews (from family, friends, and colleagues—I haven't made it to the NYT level... yet!). Focusing my energy on something new allowed me to let go of the crap (my drafts) and create something exceptional.

If you try the above tips and aren't making progress, it may be time to move on completely. But if you're experiencing genuine writer's block—when the words won't flow and you type, delete and re-type paragraphs—you may need a break. Use your writer's block to get that clarity into where your heart is and whether you are really stuck or are just not invested enough in your topic. Either way, you'll create something fantastic.

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About the Creator

wanderluster

Hi there, I’m Sheena. I'm an Ohio born and bred creative and old-school writer who prefers the smooth flow of ink on paper over the clickity-clack of typing on a keyboard. I love travel, typewriters, and doughnuts. Get my ebook!

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