How to Cure Writer’s Block
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
If you’re wondering how to cure writer’s block, I have a helpful reframe. Writer’s block can bedevil even the most prepared and mentally resilient writer. Unfortunately, it exists in many forms and affects us all differently. But writer’s block is a myth, and it’s sad that many writers believe that this phenomenon is expected, unavoidable, or even noble. However, there are ways to overcome it and get back on track with your writing. Let’s explore how to cure writer’s block—and maybe even prevent it from happening to you ever again.
How to Cure Writer’s Block: Develop Regular Writing Habits
The strongest weapon against writer’s block is a regular writing habit. When you make a commitment to a daily writing practice (or to sitting down several times a week if daily is not available to you), you create an atmosphere where creativity can flourish without any pressure or judgment. Writing regularly will help you establish momentum and keep your story juices flowing. It also gives you practice and allows you to make progress toward your goals—it’s much easier to write an 80,000-word novel over eight weeks than to think about doing it all in one impossible swoop.
After a while, writing regularly becomes routine in your life (after about 30 days, per The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg) and you can count on this process instead of waiting for “the muse” to show up. (The muse is also a myth.) Although we often associate creativity with inspiration from a muse or higher power (whatever that may be), sometimes all we need is just a little bit of direction before creativity takes over on its own accord.
A regular writing habit also gives you an outlet for your ideas and thoughts, which helps reduce stress. You’re writing, you’re making progress, and you’re getting words on the page. Once you know all of this, it’s easier to feel some relief. After all, how to cure writer’s block is actually all about addressing that internal pressure that you feel to produce and make something “worthwhile” or your writing passion.
How to Cure Writer’s Block: Other Tips
If you’re writing, you need to be reading. And not just reading, but reading like a writer. By taking the time to read what else is in the market, whether it’s in your genre or category or outside of it, you are developing critical thinking and analysis skills and internalizing writing voice and storytelling structure. Reading also expands your understanding of language, which helps you recognize different styles of writing and figure out where your own strengths and opportunities for growth lie.
Journaling is another effective way to keep yourself motivated. Whether you write about your day in a notebook or keep some notes on your phone, don’t let your ideas go to waste when they come. This will often happen as you’re driving or taking a walk. If you start to take each idea seriously by jotting it down, you’ll send your subconscious the message that it’s time to get into creativity mode.
If you’re stuck at a particular place in a manuscript because you haven’t figured the scene out yet or you are too intimidated to write the climax, or novel opening, for that matter, skip that section. Don’t sacrifice your forward momentum.
Finally, planning ahead with a novel outline is a tedious but brilliant way to do a lot of the research and thinking ahead of time. You will have already put a lot of effort and energy into the project, the actual drafting won’t be such a burden. If you’ve thought through your plot arcs and character arcs already, you might just find the blank page a little less intimidating when it’s time to sit down and write.
If you’re wondering how to cure writer’s block, you need to reframe the conversation into one about writing anxiety and how to set yourself up for success. Developing regular writing habits, reading more, journaling, and outlining are all great ways to forget about the muse and forge ahead on your own creative steam. Don’t buy into writer’s block, and bust through your obstacles instead.
For those eagle-eyed readers who are wondering just what kind of editor would write an article with the clunky phrasing of “how to cure writer’s block” over and over on her website, I applaud you for noticing that this reads awkwardly. Please note that I picked this keyword phrase on purpose, as part of my SEO (search engine optimization) strategy. If you’re curious about writer marketing techniques, check out Good Story Marketing. This post contains affiliate links.
Click here to purchase Writing Irresistible Kidlit, my book on fiction craft for MG and YA novels, out from Writer's Digest Books. This will show you my writing craft philosophy and give you lots of valuable advice, including tips for the novel revision process and self-editing. There are over 35 example novels cited and discussed throughout. It’s a valuable resource for any writer’s toolkit.
Click here to purchase Irresistible Query Letters, my book on query letters, including over forty examples with comprehensive notes on each one. There’s a ton of submission advice, best practices, and insider information in these pages, and you’ll really enjoy seeing what other writers are doing in the slush.
Click here to purchase Writing Interiority: Crafting Irresistible Characters, my book on interiority and character creation. Explore your protagonist’s thoughts, feelings, reactions and interpretations, expectations, and inner struggles to create a rich, immersive experience. This guide will empower you to create characters who live and breathe on the page, fostering an unbreakable bond with your audience.