How do I handle writers block?
Ask the Author Podcast Transcript
Episode 35, 5th February 2024 \ \ Subscribe
But what do you do if you’re just….stuck? Jodi Gibson, author of REINVENTING EMILY BROWN helps a listener overcome the dreaded writer’s block…
Intro
In the intro, Jodi Gibson welcomes listeners back after the holiday season and advises that she always takes a writing break during this time. Jodi talks about her upcoming projects and the one year anniversary of her Ask the Author Podcast! Jodi also mentions being blown away by the feedback and response to her popular Write Squad Community launch.
Show Notes
- Tip #1: Writers Block is Psychological
- Tip #2: Figure out why you’re blocked
- Tip #3: Fall back in love with your story
- Tip #4: Writers block might just be fear
Episode Transcript
Let's get stuck into this first question for 2024. This week's question comes from Shaylee.
Hi, Jodie, I'd be interested to know your advice when it comes to Writers' Block and how to move past it, as I'm struggling right now.
Thanks, Shaylee, and this is a great question, and I can't actually believe that I haven't covered this topic yet, because I know it's a huge one on every writers' mind.
Tip 1: Writers Block is Psychological
Okay, so let's start by breaking it down and chatting about what “Writers' Block” is. By definition and this is taken from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, which says Writers' Block is a psychological inhibition preventing the writer from continuing with a piece. Now, the reason I like this definition is due to the use of the word psychological, because that's exactly what it is. It's not a physical thing where you actually can't write. It's simply your mind telling you, for whatever reason, that you can't write, that you can't do it, and that is stopping you from sitting down and writing. And there is a big difference in actually not physically being able to do it and psychologically not being able to do it. And I think that once you come to terms with and yes, it's not easy, but once you do come to terms with that difference in the definition, it will make it a lot easier to get past the writing block.
So, first thing, to keep in mind that this is a psychological thing, that our brains are telling us that we can't do it. So, with that in mind, I'm going to take you through my three tips on how to conquer Writers' Block. Now, they might be a little unconventional, but I absolutely believe that they will help you get over it and hopefully help you experience it less in the future. Or at least, if you do, you'll know what to do and how to handle it.
Tip 2: Figure out why you’re blocked
So, firstly, you need to figure out the why behind the block. Is it because you've written yourself into a plot hole and you don't know how to get your character out or move things forward? Is it because your process just isn't working.
Perhaps you need to free write and see what happens with the story, or go back to your plotting structure and see what's gone awry. Maybe it's because you're just not loving the story anymore, because it's getting to the point where it's hard and you've fallen out of love with things which you know happens. Or is it thanks to something a little bit more sinister, let's say, such as fear or self-doubt or, of course, the dreaded perfectionist in you coming out to play when it comes to things like plot holes, not knowing where to take the story next, or it's simply just getting hard. Well, those things are relatively easy to deal with. That's the good news.
There are actually things you can do to help you move forward. You might need to go back to your pre-writing notes or your outline, if you have one, and see just where the story has gone off track. I always say to go back to your why. Why are you writing this story and what's the message you're trying to tell? Do you perhaps need to rework your outline? Do you need to go right back to the drawing board and create an outline? Maybe, even if it's not a full structured outline, might be just plot points along the way.
Do you need to make things harder for your character. Does your character have a clear goal that they're working towards, an external goal of the story, of the book that teaches them the internal lesson they need to learn, because that's actually what will drive your story? So once you start asking yourself these questions, you'll often find that you'll organically figure out where things have come up unstuck.
The hardest part will be the fact that you may have to kill some darlings or scrap some words, scenes, chapters and actually do some rewriting. Now, I know that's not an easy thing to do, it's not an easy thing to hear, but often it's what the story needs to move forward. And so that's how you get past the writer's block. You're asking yourself these questions. You might have to go back a few scenes, a few chapters and start writing forward from a different point If it is in fact the plot or the story that is causing issues.
Take a step back, ask yourself these questions about your story, about your characters, and take a break. Let these questions simmer in your subconscious. Go for a walk, take a shower, whatever. It might take a few days, it might take a week, but once you start to poke your subconscious and get it working in the background, you'll often find that things will come to you and you'll all of a sudden know what to do next.
Tip 3: Fall back in love with your story
Now, if you're not actually loving the story you're writing anymore, ask yourself why. Why did you want to write this story in the first place? What was so compelling and exciting about the story when it first came to you as an idea? Have you gone off track from that? Perhaps you need to go back to that point and have a good hard think about it, so this might mean that you can get things back on track. Or it might be the case that the story just isn't working for you now and you may need to put it aside and work on something else. It's not necessarily doomed. You haven't wasted your words. You haven't wasted your time. It just might not be ready right at this point now.
Tip 4: Writers block might just be fear
Sometimes writer's block isn't actually about overcoming a plot hole or being stuck in the story, even though that's what you might think is happening. Sometimes it's simply just fear. Fear can manifest in many forms when it comes to writing, and procrastination and writer's block are the main culprits. But the thing is with fear is it comes from one thing, and that is self-doubt. It's your mind telling you it's too hard, I can't do it, I'm a fraud, I'm not skilled slash talented, slash, smart enough. This book is too big for me. I'm not a real writer. They're all phrases that have run through my own head at some point. I get it. It's not easy to push that fear away. But if you want to write, if you want to finish the book, you have to push those things aside and no one else can do it for you.
Writing in theory sounds easy. Think up a story and write it. I mean, how hard is that? But we do know as writers, in practice it is so much harder. No, it's not brain surgery, it's not a soldier fighting in the trenches or men and women on the frontline of our emergency departments fighting a pandemic. But it is challenging in its own way. A structure, plot, pacing, narrative motivations, conflict resolutions pulling all of that together into a seamless novel that is easy to read is really tough, but it is possible.
I think we get stuck in the fear stage because we want our book to be amazing. Yep, here comes the perfectionism. The thing is inherently, even if we don't admit it, we want our book to be a bestseller, to have readers say wonderful things. We want an agent or a publisher to tell us they want to publish it. We want our friends to read us and praise us for producing a real book. We want our parents and our loved ones to be proud of us. We want to be proud of ourselves. We want our book to be a success and we want to write a good book. Oh, not a good book, we want to write a great book. It's because we want all these things and love what we do that the fear is able to take hold. I'm afraid I don't have a magic wand that I can wave and the fear will magically disappear. I just, I can only tell you that you're not alone. Sorry, no, you're not unique in this department.
Fear happens to every writer, to every author, in fact every creative, even the Ubers, successful ones. The bottom line is, if you want to finish a book, you have to push past the fear and self-doubt. You have to remind yourself that all you can do is your best and that your best will be good enough, and that's all it has to be good enough. I can't tell you that none of all of the other stuff matters. Of course it does. We're human and there are emotions. We have to acknowledge that we're going to experience.
But you have to be writing the book, because you can't not write it, and if you can't not write it, you just have to write it. So to get past the fear, you have to acknowledge it. I really like what Elizabeth Gilbert has to say on this in her book BIG MAGIC, and this is a quote I've taken from that book.
“I made a decision a long time ago that if I want creativity in my life and I do then I have to make space for the fear too, plenty of space. Liz goes on to say that she invites fear along for the ride, because fear and creativity go hand in hand. It will always be there and I 100% agree with that. We have to acknowledge that. So my advice is to, yes, acknowledge the fear, but don't let it take over, don't let it stop you, do not let the fear win.“
In Summary
So let's recap. Firstly, writer's block is psychological. It's your brain telling you that you can't do it and that's wrong. You can do it. Secondly, you need to work out why you are stuck. Revisit your stories. Why Revisit the message you want to tell? Your character's journey and story arc. Is there a component of the story that's just not working. Do you need to revisit your outline? Maybe do an outline. Do you need to remember what was so amazing about this idea in the first place? So take a breath, take a break, go for a walk, take a few days to let these questions simmer and then go back to your story.
If it's simply fear and self-doubt causing the block, then you need to remind yourself why you want to write. Acknowledge that fear, ignore the untruths your mind is telling you and write the story you want to write for you, not for anyone else. For you. Like they say, dance like no one's watching. The same applies to writing. Write like no one will ever read it. You never know what might be the result and at the very least, you'll have written a book.
I did just want to add in something extra that I heard a big name author recently say…now I can't remember the life of me who it was but they said something along the lines of: “I can't afford to suffer from writer's block. I have a deadline.” Now. I think there's something in that for all of us, don't you?