it’s pretty clear to me that the mythic status that “writer’s block” has taken on is both unearned and self-defeating. Like the belief that a writer can only make good work when “inspired”, the belief in writer’s block is a fiction that takes the responsibility for creating out of the writer’s hand, and puts it in the hands of some magical force outside of them entirely.
writer’s block is nothing special— it’s just a momentary inhibition we can overcome by giving ourselves the permission to write imperfect drafts.
Here are five writers-block-busting steps that have worked well for me over the years. They’re rooted in the assumption that writer’s block is no different from any other form of low motivation — and that therefore it can be cured through a blend of rest, and exposure to inspiring, novel ideas.
Reading is one of the best ways to remind myself of how varied and dynamic language is, of how many written forms and structures exist that I have the opportunity to play with.
The more widely I read, the better and more complex my own thinking seems to be. So I read pretty widely, and in a very slapdash, chaotic way.
In her piece “An Essay About Essays”, Megan Stielstra talks about how the word “essay” originally meant “to attempt”; this type of writing is an exploration of an idea, and it may or may not accomplish what the author originally intended it to. She also suggests that the best way to learn how to write essays is by reading them. I agree. Every time I read something on Medium, for example, I learn a little bit more about the kind of work I want to create — and the kind I want to work like hell to avoid.
Experience Something New
Creativity is a process of forming new connections between ideas, or of seeing existing realities in a new light. When we expose ourselves to novel stimuli, or go through unique experiences or emotions, we’re more likely to think in creative and unconventional ways.
Try a New Art Form
When you expand your horizons and create new artistic work in a new medium, you can restore some of the joy that your original creative outlet gave you. I’m no poet, and never will be, and my memes are pretty mediocre — but practicing those shorter art forms makes me a pithier essayist. And sometimes, when you try out a new artistic form, you’ll find you have a knack for it.