Never Struggle With Writer’s Block Again
Writer’s block is a pain that we all share — but it’s unbelievably easy to solve with the FBR technique.
Writer’s block is exhausting.
You, begging for inspiration from the heavens.
That white page, asking you to shape it into something perfect.
All those ideas buzzing around in your head, demanding to be let out.
That slow, saturating dread that spreads from your mind to your chest as you force yourself to write something now, now, now.
And then maybe you give up.
You think, “I need to scroll Instagram for inspiration.” Or “I needed to check my email anyway.”
Anything to get out of that dread. And then maybe inspiration strikes, or maybe not. Regardless, your work is suddenly put to the backseat, and you’ve wasted just a bit more time you can never take back.
I used to be like that, so I know how it feels.
But guess what? I haven’t struggled with writer’s block for years.
And it’s easy once you get the hang of it. It’s called the FBR Technique.
But first, let’s analyze.
Why do we get writer’s block?
When I get writer’s block, it’s usually because of:
- Perfectionism (What I write has to be perfect)
- Too many or too few ideas (I don’t know how to start)
- Waiting for inspiration (I don’t feel like writing; I don’t have that spark)
Maybe you’re like that too.
But you will never get there if you don’t start.
To cut through these complicated tangles, I use a technique called FBR — which stands for Fast, Bad, and Wrong. I once learned of it in a podcast from Ali Abdaal. And I haven’t had writer’s block in years.
Let’s break it down,
Writing Fast, Bad, and Wrong
Writing Fast ⚡
Don’t wait for ideas and inspiration to come to you.
Write as soon as ideas arrive in your brain. Chase your thoughts with words on your page. Don’t think about structure, flow, etc. Chase the lightning bolts of your mental circuitry and put them all into the page before they escape.
And don’t stop until you’re done.
Remember: inspiration follows momentum.
Writing Bad 🤮
There’s a place to worry about grammar, structure, and style.
But it’s not on your first drafts. Worrying about how “good” your writing is will stall you, stopping your momentum. There will always be better ways to write your ideas, but there will be no better time than now.
Disregard all conventions and write terribly.
Bad writing is terrible, but no writing is worse.
Writing Wrong ❌
Don’t worry about every little fact or number; worry about the big idea.
We can often get caught up with unreasonably in-depth background research before we start writing. This has its place, but it can massively derail our progress.
Follow your brain to where it’s leading; worry about the rest later.
If you find yourself nitpicking facts, stop.
To write FBR is human; to edit is divine …
The FBR Technique gives you permission to start.
It negates perfectionism and jumpstarts your brain by telling it to get moving. After all, you can’t steer a stationary ship.
But what comes next might be the most crucial part: you must polish this brain vomit with editing afterward.
FBR will get you out the door, but editing will let you reach your destination.
What’s your favorite way to get over writer’s block?
