As an experienced writer, I often get questioned by other, less experienced, writers about writer’s block.

To many it’s a mysterious condition that seems to threaten all writers as if it were a terminal disease—will I get Writer’s Block?  Can I avoid it?  After all, Ernest Hemingway killed himself because he couldn’t writer anymore.  (Among many other problems he had—)  With all the mystery (and fear) surrounding writer’s block, what is it really?

Broadly speaking, it’s the inability to write—anything.  Creating (anything) is one of the most difficult human activities—and then, at times, it can be so easy.  (Watch a group of young children making-up a game to play)  What happens to us when we become adults?  What are some of the causes behind writer’s block and what can we do about them?

1.  Procrastination.  We’re all so good at this.  “I’ll start tomorrow.”  I tell new writers the hardest part of writing a novel is—starting.  What to do about it:  Set yourself a small reward—candy, a latte, a glass of wine, a facial, etc.  Then, pick a time to sit at your desk and START.  You must also set a time limit.  You can take your reward after you’ve worked at writing for the time limit.
2. Perfectionism.  Here’s a tough one.  We read stories by our favorite, great writers and admire their skills.  Then, we sit down at the lap top and—  We know it’s impossible for us to create the same quality of writing, so we get writer’s block.  Stephen King once said: “Give yourself permission to write a really bad first sentence, then a really bad first paragraph.”  Every writer starts with a really bad first sentence.  You can too.
3. Self doubt.  “Who do I think I am to imagine anyone would be interested in reading this crap I’m writing?”  Sound familiar?  It leads to writer’s block.  We all have doubts about our writing every time we put something on the screen.  Here’s what helps me: I remember that I’m writing, primarily, for myself.  If family and friends want to read it, great.  If strangers want to read it, great.  But, in the end, it’s a compulsion that I must do.  I don’t think of any audience and I can get past writer’s block.
4. I have also found that for professional writers, there is no such thing as writer’s block.  Just like anyone else doing a job, a writer sits down every day and . . . writes!  Often, it’s not the best stuff, but that’s why we edit as much, if not more, than we write the first draft.
5. Here are two books that could be helpful for you:  “Around the Writer’s Block,” by Rosanne Bane.  https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_fb_1_12?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=rosanne+bane&sprefix=rosanne+bane%2Cstripbooks%2C1443&crid=2JH4MSR3BZXHS  Also, “The War of Art,” by Steven Pressfield:  https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_18?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=stephen+pressfield&sprefix=stephen+pressfield%2Caps%2C220&crid=LP7544VGTR2M&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Astephen+pressfield

The post Is There Really Writer’s Block?? appeared first on Colin T. Nelson.

I’m not sure what that means to each writer because it’s different for different people.  Are they unable to write anything?  Is it hard for them to write regularly?  Or do they have to wait for inspiration before they can write anything?

Any of these could be called writer’s block.  How to overcome writer’s block is possible.  Here are some ideas:

1.  Read an excellent book by a long-time professional writer, Steven Pressfield.  It’s called, “The War of Art” at http://www.amazon.com/War-Art-Through-Creative-Battles/dp/1936891026/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459703906&sr=1-1&keywords=the+war+of+art+steven+pressfield  He says that the creation of art is a war—against our human nature to be lazy, scared, and to put things off.  He recommends (and so so I) to sit down at your laptop and write.  Think about your present day job.  Many days you hate going to it, but you have to or you don’t get paid.  (Funny how that works . . .)  You just do it and, surprisingly, you actually create work—some of it very good, by the way.
2. How to force yourself will also answer how to overcome writer’s block.  Try to establish a habit of writing sometime, some place, every day.  (or week)  Psychologists researched this and found if we make something a habit, soon it becomes our normal behavior and it becomes easier the more we practice that behavior.
3. How do you get started on the first line?  Stephen King in his great book, “On Writing” also talks about how to overcome writer’s block.  He has an easy solution: give yourself permission to write a really crappy first sentence, first paragraph, and first chapter.  Getting started is the toughest part.  Editing the crap into something worthwhile is much easier.  So—just put fear aside and remember you don’t (and won’t) create something lasting on that first sentence.  But you will create something worthwhile as you edit it later.

And I promise you that you don’t have to show any of this to anyone else!!  That’s how to overcome writer’s block for me.

The post How to Overcome Writer’s Block appeared first on Colin T. Nelson.