How to Overcome Writer's Block

Writer’s block is a nightmare for writers, to say the least. Almost all writers, artists, and creators have experienced this feeling of burnout at some point (and this writer definitely has). Simply put, writer’s block occurs when writers, even those who are typically highly creative, become unable to write any new or meaningful work, despite their talents in writing. But why does this occur in the first place? Well, here are some possible explanations:

1. Stress inhibits creativity

      Biological psychology offers an interesting perspective on writer’s block; when under stress, control tends to be shifted from the cerebral cortex to the limbic system. The cerebral cortex can be thought of as the human brain’s central executive area, and is also where control ought to be. On the other hand, the limbic system consists of the hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus—none of which are typically involved in higher-order thinking or planning. In fact, the limbic system controls your “fight-flight-freeze” response during an emergency. When the limbic system gains more control, it becomes harder to think things straight, thus hindering creativity. Another area of the brain that could be affected is the temporal lobe, one of the four major lobes of the brain. The temporal lobe, in tandem with the frontal lobe, is responsible for language comprehension and production. Therefore, damage to either would result in an inability to write and communicate.

2. Anxiety disorders

      While the biological-psychological perspective takes a scientific approach to writer’s block, one’s own mental health and well-being should not be ignored in the process. Anxiety disorders are characterized by intense, long-term worries about things that are not worrying to the general population. These worries must have severely harmed the patient’s life in order to be classified as a disorder. Nonetheless, if a writer truly is suffering from an anxiety disorder, it may be hard to focus on writing, resulting in writer’s block.

3. Lack of motivation or inspiration

      Finally, the most simple explanation for writer’s block is a mere lack of motivation or inspiration for writing. People can be motivated to do things for various reasons, as evident in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. However, real life often doesn’t follow a strict pattern of goals, as you don’t simply progress through life unlocking task after task. Sometimes, you find yourself multitasking or skipping to task #7 before task #3. Motivational conflicts can also occur; writing can be simultaneously appealing and challenging to a writer. 

      The research done on writer’s block leaves us with the million-dollar question: how can we cure writer’s block, or avoid it before it even reaches us? The most popular solution to the problem that is writer’s block seems to be brainstorming or free-writing. Free-writing is the act of engaging in continuous writing without any revisions. It helps to get ideas out and removes the stress and anxiety stemming by allowing for imperfection and improvements. However, it must be acknowledged that free-writing rarely results in good writing, and is really only used in the planning stage. After all, good writing comes from intensive editing and revising. If you wish to become, say, a successful author, free-writing your way there is definitely not a good idea, to say the least. 

      Another possible solution is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which is the psychological therapy used to treat many mental health disorders. While writer’s block itself is not a disorder, it may be the result of one, such as anxiety. CBT can help to remove excessive self-doubt and negative self-beliefs by reinforcing and encouraging positive thoughts. This can help cure the root cause of writer’s block.