I’m Having Writer’s Block, Maybe I’ll Just Quit

After blogging non-stop for most of nine months now, the well seems to have gone dry. There’s just a little bit of water left each morning and evening that I’m trying to withdraw ideas from Inspiration Springs. It’s become quite frustrating and I think I’m going to quit…

Writing? As if. No. Even when things are difficult in the Writer’s Process and it seems like the next great writing piece is miles away in the barren desert, it’s still so much fun and so rewarding to finally reach that oasis of the next great idea. Rather, I’m going to quit having such stringent rules for myself. Rest assured, that’s the only quitting I plan on doing.

I’ve had a more difficult journey with my daily blog over the past week or so. Specifically, coming up with good ideas to write about or clever angles to try to integrate into some of the blogs. I’ve had a couple of ideas come to me pretty easily, but beyond those few, the rest of my ideas have been a grind and a struggle to form into something worth reading.

You might look at my last few blogs and think, “Huh. I don’t get it. These seem pretty good to me.” If so, thank you. That’s a huge compliment. That means I’ve set my mind to accomplishing the strict goals that I have for myself and succeeded. I’ve made the long trudge across this barren desert to reach the oasis I draw inspiration from each day.

Sometimes I think of that famous writing piece entitled “Footprints in the Sand”. It’s about a person’s perspective of seeing their life as a long journey through the desert. Through most of it, he sees two sets of footprints, his and the Lord’s, marching through life together.

During the most difficult times, the person mentions to the Lord that he only sees one set of footprints. He questions why Jesus had left him alone when he needed him the most. Jesus replies that he didn’t leave him alone, it was during those most difficult times in life that he carried the man.

I am not a religious person and haven’t been for over half of my life. I still have some belief about the hereafter that I hope is true. But I’m not what you’d call a practicing Christian. I have my doubts about there being a Heaven, Hell, or anything else after we take our last breaths. Yet I’ve always loved this story and analogy.

So when the going gets tough, the tough get going. I know that when I’m trudging through the barren wasteland of Writer’s Block, someone or something is going to have to carry me. C’mon Jesus, let’s go. Or at least deliver an idea into my brain.

I somehow am managing to still pull ideas out of this brain I’ve been blessed with daily or even twice a day. I don’t have this big ol’ noggin’ for nothing. While it’s becoming more and more difficult to produce one or two solid writing pieces a day for everyone, I’m even more bound and determined to accomplish my goals with this.

I have a few ideas that will help me draw more water from my well of inspiration. I know that when ideas seem elusive that I’m more than capable of kicking things into a higher gear in order to keep entertaining you all with some quality writing.

I’m going to quit being so hard on myself and loosen up some self-imposed rules I’ve been holding on to. Here are the things I’m doing and will continue to do in order to produce the writing that I enjoy creating each day.

1. I’m Going to Ease Up on the Strict Rules I have For Myself

This first thing I’m going to change lends itself to a lot of pressure. When I was new to writing and blogging, the ideas came at me from every direction. I started texting ideas and titles to what I’m certain was a fake phone number, just so I wouldn’t forget them the next day. Sorry if you’re getting a lot of weird texts like these, owner of (666) 666–1313:

The ideas for topics to write about, titles, and little details to put into each writing piece come to me almost constantly. I can be working out, shopping at the grocery store, or taking Libby out for a walk, and an idea can pop into my head. That’s why I type them into a text to send to myself, so I have them in case I forget about them later.

At age 47 going on 48, this happens more than I care to admit. My dad always had this expression, “Long Pencil, short memory.” I’ve always been rather fond of that one. So I note these ideas and revisit them later when I’m in a pinch for new material.

I’ve stuck with the method of writing each morning’s first blog the evening before. Generally, I might start it during chill time with my Bride or if I’m hanging out with the kids while they’re playing video games. Usually, most of it is written from 10 pm until I finally go to bed around midnight or 12:30 am. I’ll usually have it completed or close to it.

Once I wake up and get my coffee, plus a treat for Mooch who would surely die a little inside if I didn’t hook her up, I sit down and proofread my morning blog. This is when I make a second or even third draft edit. If I haven’t found pics for it yet, I do that at the end and post it. Then it’s time to write the late morning/early afternoon blog.

This is the time lately when ideas have been harder to come by. I’ll either pull something out of thin air or decide to write about writing. I do enjoy writing about the writing process and giving tips to newer writers who are trying to build a solid Medium following. But I often wonder if I’m just settling on this topic versus coming up with something new and entertaining.

Once I post the second blog between 11 am to 1 pm, I’m done with writing for a bit. I tend to check notifications at this point and approve new writing pieces that our Bouncin’ and Behavin’ Blogs writers have submitted. Then it’s time for a break for errands, the gym, or other things I need to get done.

The more I struggle with finding new topics and ideas to write about, the less stringent I’m starting to be about following this exact daily routine. Why CAN’T I just write something and post it, once I feel it’s ready? Do I HAVE to post two blogs every day for weeks on end to reach my goals and be successful? I’m starting to think not.

2. I’m Going to Read More to Find New Ideas to Write About

Reading has always been one of my favorite pastimes. I used to check out the maximum number of books our local library would allow us to, as a grade school kid who had been reading since age 3. I’d haul 20 books out of the Redding Public Library faster than Bonnie and Clyde could run out with sacks of money from a bank robbery.

Since starting to have a tougher time coming up with ideas for my blogs, I’ve gotten back to reading more often. When I read other writers’ blogs and articles, it’s super motivating. I see their ideas, topics, and the way they weave their stories and it gives me a jolt of creative energy.

I haven’t copied their ideas, as far as writing a story at all similar to theirs. But sometimes a keyword or a few things about it strike me and it gives me an idea about my own blog or story that evolves from that one detail of their writing piece. So when you’re struggling to write, take some time to read, first.

3. I’m Just Going to Start Typing

This is one of my strengths and I need to remember that. I feel as though the Writer’s Block I may be experiencing at any given time is due to my overthinking fucking EVERYTHING, as it relates to writing. There is no limit to thinking too hard about so many things while trying to create the perfect blog. I need to stop doing this.

I’m a cautious person by nature. It’s always been this way. I used to move so slowly down stairs when I was a toddler, according to my parents. You might say I was a scaredy-cat or a wimp. But I never busted my head open on a fall.

Sometimes as writers we can be too cautious. We feel that we need to have a well-planned, super thought-out idea before we can even fire up our laptops. If I don’t have the most clever title, subtitle, and kicker above it, why should I ever start writing? Because things don’t necessarily have to always be in a perfect order.

That perfect order could be holding me back as a writer. I am now experimenting with starting my blogs without a title. Perhaps I’ll write an ending first on the next one. I could list my points of any given article and pick the ones that I first have ideas for.

If you’re struggling to start writing on a certain day, try this one on for size: Log onto your laptop, open Vocal, click on the icon to start a new article, then close your laptop. Close your eyes, and then think of the first thing that comes to mind that you could write something about. Don’t overthink it, and don’t plan too far ahead.

Open your eyes, flip open your laptop and start typing. Don’t worry if it’s the title, subtitle, or kicker that comes to mind first. If there’s nothing there, just start typing your first thoughts about the topic you were imagining in your head. Don’t worry about how well-ordered or pretty your writing piece looks at this stage. Just keep typing.

Once it starts to take shape and your writing of whichever part you started on slows down, then work on formatting it. Or coming up with titles, an introduction, or a conclusion. This will help encourage you to make a second, third, or even fourth draft edit and really polish up your blog or article.

I wrote something a while back called, “Why My Writing is So Much Better Than Your Writing” and it details why the second and third drafts of your writing piece are so important. The title sounds cocky and arrogant, but once you read it, you’ll laugh at this, I promise you.

You’ll Find Your Writer’s Oasis, Just Don’t Quit Searching For It

Even during the recent times that I’ve felt pressure to come up with the next great blog idea or article, I’ve never panicked. I was sure that I’d achieve my goal regardless of how bleak things looked. I knew that over the next hill of seemingly endless desert, there was something on the other side that would help me quench my dry spell.

Keep searching. Try some of these tips if you are struggling to hear the keystrokes moving along. I’d love to hear if any of you have struggled with running out of ideas to write about, and after how many posts you’ve created. Let’s support each other through the difficult periods of Writer’s Block.

Even after posting 210 blogs in my nine months of writing, I feel that there is so much more to write about. The world is a vast place full of many things to observe, discuss, and write about. The thoughts that are constantly racing through my head can be turned into ideas, which in turn can be turned into fun, entertaining pieces of writing. I appreciate all of you who tune in to read what’s next. &:^)