The Illusion of Writer’s Block. It’s not a thing. And here’s how to… | by Robert Roy Britt | The Writer’s Guide
It’s not a thing. And here’s how to shake it and get that draft done.
I’ve been trying to write this story for a long time. Things kept getting in the way. None of those things was writer’s block. I don’t believe in the condition of writer’s block. It’s not a thing. Let me explain.
We writers all have dry spells, periods of low output, low energy, low motivation. Some days we simply can’t summon words. Other days we’re raring to go but a certain story vexes us. That’s all normal. But writer’s block is not the cause, and it’s never the condition you find yourself in, no more than musicians get musician’s block or plumbers get plumber’s block.
We do get tired. Or bored. Or distracted. Or many other things that can get in the way of writing—or thwart any creative effort or even fundamental productivity related to the most basic tasks.
Maybe you have a draft sitting in your story folder right now, waiting to be finished and published, nagging at you for attention. Could be a long jumble of sentences, quotes and rough notes that you struggle to make sense of. Or maybe it’s a short outline that hasn’t gained traction. Or it might be frozen in any number of frustrating stages in between.
Maybe you have several drafts in progress. Join the club. I have dozens of unfinished drafts. This used to be one of them.