How to Break the Pillars of Writer's Block
We've all experienced a bout of writer's block, those moments when you sit down to write and no words come out.
It's not because writer's block is some kind of psychological condition. It's not that technical. It's just because we allow it to happen. We're not at our best performance levels. Maybe we're tired or stressed out. Maybe we're trying to write something that isn't ready to be written. Or maybe we feel stuck deciding what to write about.
Some writers don't believe in writer's block. Others seem to use it as an excuse, like procrastination. Still others geniunely believe that writer's block exists and that's what they have.
Whatever this thing is, it's a form of resistance. That's all it is. Just another form of resistance with a glorified name that threatens to keep us from our writing dreams. If writing is your dream, then I encourage you to take a step up and acknowledge "writer's block" for what it really is.
God doesn't want us to struggle. He wants to see us rise above our challenges and He wants to help us. We have challenges because they make us appreciate our successes so much more. What's a success without a little challenge? If everything was easy, we'd never learn the life lessons that make us better people.
Everyone on this earth has a purpose and we have so much potential. It's up to us to take the action and achieve those great things God wants us to achieve. When we realize that we don't have to "go it alone" and we ask God for His wisdom and His help, He'll respond. Maybe not in the way you expect, but if you listen and pay attention, He's there for you.
When you're stuck and the words aren't coming out, ask God for inspiration. Ask Him what you should write about. Keep an open mind and He'll respond. You may not hear His voice, but maybe a word or an image will pop into your head.
Before I started writing this article, I was at a loss for what to write about. I have a list of ideas, sure, but I wasn't really feeling any of them. Then I asked God what I should write about for my blog post and the words "writer's block" came up. My mind had been a complete blank and then those words popped in.
Then I was wondering what kind of title it would have. I had the subject, but I needed a specific topic. The image of me driving a backhoe and breaking large cement pillars popped into my head. My husband had just left to get the backhoe, but there wasn't any explanation for the pillars.
The next time you feel stuck in your writing, ask God for help. You might be surprised by how He responds.
Another thing you can do is say NO! to writer's block. You're in charge of your writing success, so it's a simple matter of refusing to let resistance get in the way. Writing consistently will help you break free from this thing called writer's block.
I'm not going to say it's easier said than done, because if that's what you believe, then battling writer's block really will be easier said than done. It's all about our belief system. Stop believing in resistance. Stop believing that mental blocks exist.
In the movie Elf, with Will Ferrell, Santa has a hard time getting his sleigh off the ground. Why is that? It's because there weren't enough people who believed in him.
Resistance works the same way. If you feed your belief, resistance will never cease. It will always be there working hard to keep you away from your dreams. But if you refuse to let it stand in your way, its effect will lessen and you'll be able to achieve your dreams.
Don't let writer's block keep you from writing. Believe that it's a simple matter and that you can overcome it.
It also takes discipline. Even when you think you have no words in you, write anyway. Believe that when you start typing (or handwriting if you're using pen and paper) those words will start to flow.
Have you ever noticed that when you sit down to write on the couch or the bed, you start to feel sleepy? That happens to me all the time. I'm sitting on the couch right now and I'm fighting the urge to put my mini Acer aside and put my head down. (I guess I like a challenge on a Sunday afternoon! The real truth is, it's warmer in the living room than it is in my office.)
To keep me on track, I have the rest of my banana cream pie dessert sitting in front of me on the coffee table. I'm making myself wait to eat it until I've finished this article. I can't wait!
Another thing you can do to keep your fingers on the move is to stay active. The more active you are, the more alive you'll feel.
Moving around gets the blood pumping and helps you keep those eyelids open and stay focused. If you sit on the couch all day, there's no doubt you'll feel sleepy. But if you get up and move around, jump on a trampoline, or go for a walk, you'll feel more energized so that when you sit down to write, you won't be too tired to get those words out.
Don't write in places that make you sleepy, and do drink plenty of water.
Still another way to get the words flowing is to write something different. I wrote an article about this last week, so I won't go into details here. You can read my post here.
Once we realize that writer's block is just another form of resistance, we allow ourselves to take charge of our writing careers. If you're meant to write, you must make writing a priority and you must believe that writer's block is just resistance.
Don't allow it to get in your way. I believe in you!
What writing challenge do you struggle with the most?
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