Writer’s block — that demonic curse that befalls all writers alike at some point in life. The lucky few escape unscathed, while the not so lucky drudge through it until they break from its grasp. Some others never do.
What is writer’s block, you ask? It’s creative incapacitation; a slow and cancerous distortion and deconstruction of talent and imagination; an existential crisis that causes physical pain by just breathing and existing; all at once a dangerous state of grand delusion and also the very lack thereof.
Some say that it’s really when a writer’s muse is on strike or the sex, drugs, and alcohol don’t cut it anymore. Or when the leader of the free world is an orange haired clown. Nobody really knows for sure how it happens, but here are five of the best ways to attempt to cure yourself if you think you might be suffering from this condition.
5. Make lists.
Some things need spice, and some things need salt to bring out the flavour and bring it home. Perhaps the idea that you may be blocked hasn’t really settled in. Or maybe it has. Or perhaps you think it has but hasn’t. Or perhaps a dozen other perhaps — whatever the case, make a list out of it. Lists are great ways to compartmentalize things, especially in moments where you may find yourself to be overstimulated with ideas or other intruding thoughts (read: life). What especially makes lists great is the fact that they can be about anything; breakfast ideas, stories and plots, all the possible grounds for impeachment, or even the five best ways to overcome writer’s block.
4. Write anyway
For some people sometimes (or all people all the time) another great tactic is to write through the block (“That’s my secret, cap, I’m always blocked!”). Write through the dread, the dull, the mundane. Write through all the moments of feeling tired and uninspired and self-doubt and loathing and the complete and utter misery of knowing that no one understands you or your work and that there’s no one on the face of this planet or galaxy that can fathom what you’re going through right now. Yeah. Write about that. Just don’t forget to use punctuation (or don’t, whatever, live your life).
3. Don’t write
That’s right. Don’t write. Not a damn sentence or predicate, not even a word. Don’t write, handwrite, air-write, type, or create “art-attack” pieces out of articles from your closet and around the house. Don’t even think about writing. Don’t dream about it, don’t talk about it, don’t even fantasize. In fact, refuse to communicate in written form, period. Stop texting people back, naturally ghost your Tinder matches, and forget about all those emails. Stage a protest against writing, but just don’t sign any petitions. Stop signing for your packages and let them cancel at the courier office and have them be forced to send them back. And don’t you dare touch your phone to browse the web or stalk an ex -that involves typing. The benefit? It’s important to just reset, relax, and forget about the stress we induce on ourselves when thinking about writing. Let the writing come naturally when it’s ready and your creativity has had a moment to regenerate.
2. Read everything
If you can’t write, you might as well do the next best thing, which is to read. Writing is a lot like the foundation of capitalism itself in that it exists to be consumed. Luckily, writing is everywhere and therefore often freely available to be consumed. So stage a silent protest in support of the written word. Read everything. Read every store signage down to the address and phone number, read every word you have no idea how to pronounce on the back of the shampoo bottle, hell — even read every damn table of contents and the terms and conditions to your Gmail accounts. Every billboard, every book, the back of every cereal box. Every word was written to be read and you will be the unsung hero to make sure their purpose is fulfilled. And who knows, maybe somewhere along the way, you’ll suddenly feel the strange tingle of inspiration returning to you.
1. Be patient
Be patient with yourself and allow your life and experiences to express themselves. Often we forget that life happens when we’re too busy stressing about the fact that we can’t come up with an amazing caption for an Instagram post or the perfect poem to post on our blog. When we allow ourselves to live and to enjoy every moment of it, we find it easier to collect enough energy and substance to finally write. Understand why the block is there and live through it. Listen to your body and mind. Listen to stories that others share with you. Give yourself all the time you require to get back to your normal self. Just be patient. And if by chance that part of you has developed into something else, learn to embrace it and make those changes work on your behalf rather than against you.
There you have it. It’s not quite rocket science, although some days it can feel even more complicated. But keep in mind that worse things do exist and writer’s block is something temporary (though it may not seem so) and that you must not ever allow its presence in your life to define who you are in any way or form.
Good luck!
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Follow Naveed Khan on Instagram and Twitter — his work can also be found at www.naveedk.com.
