Write, Even If You Think You Can’t (How To Manage Writer’s Block)

A deadline looms. You can’t face your project: you definitely can’t finish it.

What happens when you know you should write, but you can’t? You feel so guilty. What’s the matter with me? you wonder.

Hello, writer’s block.

Major writer’s block: reorient yourself

Writer’s block comes in endless varieties.

After struggling with many of them I’ve identified two major blocks:

• The overworked and overstressed block. You pulled all-nighters too often. Your creative self goes on strike;
• The life-stress block. You’ve lost someone close — they’re gone and you’re bereft. Or you learn that you or someone close have a life-threatening illness. Or something else life-changing happened.

When your life changes, you need time to reorient yourself. In some cases writing provides an escape from your present horrid reality. At other times, you can’t write.

You’ll be able to write again once you get your bearings.

All other blocks are minor. You can write, even if you think you can’t.