Getting over writer's block

What is writer’s block? It is a term used to describe the times when a writer cannot write anything at all and instead of looking at a page full of words, they mostly look at a blank one for hours on end. Some writers do not believe in the normal definition of writer’s block and I do count myself as one of them. Why do I not believe in writer’s block? I don’t believe in it because a writer should be able to find something to write about, no matter what it is. What occurs is a stubborn need to only work on one project and they won’t move onto something else until it is finished or they're too afraid to write what they think is rubbish. A writer should not be afraid to write rubbish as redrafts are there to remedy that. It could also be that a writer won’t sit their backside in a chair and write or they're just having bad days that see a lull in the writing process.

So, while I believe writer’s block doesn’t exist in the sense that a writer cannot write anything at all, it cannot be denied that writers will get stuck at one point or another while writing a particular story.

On getting over writer’s block:

When writing, specific parts of a story will crop up where the writer finds it hard to progress. In a novel, this is rectified pretty easily in terms of allowing the writer to continue to progress. When one of these hard parts comes up, a writer should not be afraid to move onto another scene/chapter in the story and come back to the part that gave them trouble at a later date. Even if the parts don’t fit together neatly (probably because the writer had no plan), then that’s what rewrites are for and entire parts can be taken out if it’s needed. What moving onto another scene/chapter accomplishes is it gives the writer a fresh part of a story to work on and basically, it stops them tearing their hair out due to frustration.

If a writer cannot make any progress on a short story however, then it might be prudent to move onto another project. Some writers have multiple projects on the go at the same time for this very reason, so they can freely move onto another work in progress in case they get stuck or get a bit tired of working on the same story.

On the other hand, if a writer really cannot write anything at all, then it is a safe bet that they should write something that will test their writing ability. Also, it should be something that they and everyone else can relate to.

What can everyone relate to? An emotional piece. Every writer should be able to find the words to write something along those lines and what’s produced doesn’t even need to be a full fledged story. An example would be to start with picturing a room and two characters inside. Now then, give one of the characters a fault, like an illness or something and the rest should take care of itself. If done right, it should produce some quality writing because a genuine attempt is being made to inject real emotion into what is being written and everyone can relate to the fear of losing someone or something else entirely as long as it is along those lines. If anything, the lessons learned by writing the story/piece can be transferred into a writer’s normal writing, making them a better writer as a whole. Perhaps the emotional story/piece could even be used as a gateway to a longer story.

I’d recommend trying to write an emotional scene for practise even if you’re not blocked by the way. It forces you to write well in order to do the scene and characters justice.