Not all writer’s block is created equal

Writer’s Block
writerstips:

Not all writer’s block is created equal..

1. The Mental Block
This is when you get trapped by your own thinking. To help this form of block go do/watch/see something new, take a break, and ask yourself “what if”. What if your character did something else? What if this event didn’t happen or is something else happened instead?

2. The Emotional Barrier
You may be uncomfortable with something you are currently writing. Or maybe you are scared about how this will reflect on you, what you will learn about yourself, or feel your subject matter is embarrassing or weird. A good way to deal with this kind of block is just to write through. Push yourself to new limits, open yourself up to new options and horizons. It will help take your work to new depths.
“It’s like getting into a cold swimming pool — you can dive in head first, or inch your way in. Either way, it’s going to be bone-chillingly cold. But once you’ve got over the initial shock, done a few lengths, and got into the flow of it, you may be surprised to discover how invigorated you feel.” – MarkMcGuinness

3. Overwhelm
A block may come from having too much, instead of too little. Maybe you feel paralyzed by too many ideas, options, and obligations. To help this type of block, I recommend simplifying. Keep a journal to store excess ideas and get them out of your head. Then focus on the core of your story. You can always add things during revisions.

Whatever the type of writer’s block you experience, the important thing is to just keep at it until you break through it. Don’t give up. Keep writing!

One thought on “Not all writer’s block is created equal

  1. All of these apply to me and have done for years. The emotional block has been the biggest problem, I think. But seeing the, written down makes them less scary in a way.

    I am pleased to say this week my biggest block has been time and it’s been a long time since I was dying to get writing and didn’t have the time. When blocked, I avoid.

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