I don't even know if any of you will be interested in hearing about this, but I feel like what I'm about to say would've been really helpful when I was in the heart of my writer's block.
For starters, I don't think there's any magical remedy to cure writer's block. There are so many different causes that it would be impossible to say 'do this' and expect it to work for everybody. That being said, the first thing you need to do is figure out why you have writer's block.
Is it a lack of inspiration? I think anybody who writes anything can relate to the struggle of trying to create something original when everything feels like it's already been done.
Is it psychological? Sometimes when you intend to publish your work in any sort of way, be it online for free or printed off for sale, it can be really stressful. It's easy to be overwhelmed by the idea of people reading what you're about to write. Strangers will either love or hate your book and it's impossible to write for them. You can tell youself that you have to write for you, but that's not as simple as it sounds.
Is it emotional? For me it was. I struggle with clinical depression and anxiety. I've noticed that I really only have the ability to write when I'm in a healthier place of mind. I need hope, and a little bit of reality distortion, to write. I do my best work when my mind is able to blur the lines between myself and my characters. I become the people I'm writing, feeling what they feel, and suddenly my sentences aren't so mechanic. My characters live and breathe, and it translates to my stories.
There are a lot more issues than just inspiration, mental blocks, and emotions, but those three seem to sum up the majority of them nicely. If you Google cures for writer's block, you'll see lists that look something like this:
- Write for five minutes a day until you can write for ten and keep going from there.
- Get your creativity out in another way, like painting or sculpting.
- Give yourself permission to write badly.
- Buy a book with prompts to help you beat your writer's block.
- Create an imaginary friend who loves everything you write.
- Drink caffeine.
While these might work for some people, I personally don't see how almost any of these things are helpful. They're clearly written by people who didn't have the kind of writer's block that can last for years.
My advice, as difficult as it might seem, is to take care of yourself. Do something you love. If you love to read, read. If you love to hike, take a hike. If you need to talk to someone, do that. I know this all seems really obvious, but it's amazing how beautiful the world becomes when you finally start looking for the light.
With my depression and anxiety, I often lose all hope and my world becomes unbearably dark. I stop taking care of my body and, subsequently, my mental health becomes less of a priority. Being positive isn't easy, though. It's not like I can just say 'oh, I'm being depressed right now. better stop.' and it magically goes away. I have to work really hard to find things that make me feel happier. It's too easy for me to look at every little thing as a negative. I constantly have to remind myself that the glass is half full, and even if it's not, I'll still be okay.
So yeah, like I said at the beginning, I don't know if this will actually help anybody else, but it's what I wish somebody had told me.
Thanks for reading,
Astrid.
