Beating Writer's Block
Have you seen this academic paper?
Everyone experiences writer’s block and not just in writing.
We stall out when we need to be creative or generative. It’s either too much pressure, a lack of confidence, or maybe just a lack of practice.
In order to tackle this, we do all kinds of things. In fact, there’s one approach that is very, very, human.
We like to read about writer’s block. We do our homework on writer’s block. We research where it comes from and why. What can we do about it.
Meanwhile, the page is still empty.
Here’s the best paper I could find on writer’s block:
Ha, ha. I think you get the joke. ☝️
My point is that doing the research and understanding the function of the problem can help in some situations—but it’s definitely not necessary in all.
In the case of creative block or writer’s block, it doesn’t really help us break through it.
Instead, the only solution I’ve found is writing garbage. Writing something, whatever you’re thinking, on paper. It might have nothing to do with the topic you’re covering or the intention you formed when you sat down to write, but that’s not the problem.
The problem usually isn’t that you don’t have anything to say, or that you don’t have an opinion. The problem is usually just getting the wheels turning, getting the engine warmed up.
One of the ways I’ve combated writer’s block is by writing as I talk. This means that when my words hit the page, they’re casual and informal. That’s fine. Beating writer’s block isn’t about nailing it on the first try, it’s about filling the page. That’s it. It’s a totally singular focus.
Once you have a bunch of poorly-formed thoughts and weak word choices on your page, you can rejoice. You no longer have a blank page. You can congratulate yourself on having been granted the opportunity to move on to the next stage of creating something new, making it not suck.
I enjoyed that paper on the Unsuccessful Self-Treatment of Writers Block :)
Techniques I find helpful:
* Write down a list of questions you think someone (anyone) might ask you about the topic you're writing about.
* Write it backwards: start with a concluding paragraph then logically work your way backwards.
* Always be ready to jot down an idea.
* Spend 10-15 minutes thinking about connections to seemingly unrelated subject areas.
* (As per your post) Start writing out anything that comes to mind. This is a good way to generate raw material, and it channels energy into something constructive as opposed to getting stressed about not having started yet.
I think Naval Rivikant said you shouldn't write when you're not compelled. Maybe it was someone else, but either way, I tend to agree. I haven't had writer's block unless I was trying to force something. I do find myself sneaking down to my computer in the middle of the night or dictating something into my phone at odd hours. I can't seem to package my words into neat blocks of time.