{"id":48866,"date":"2017-04-19T20:29:15","date_gmt":"2017-04-20T04:29:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=48866"},"modified":"2017-05-27T08:45:28","modified_gmt":"2017-05-27T16:45:28","slug":"the-myth-about-writers-block-and-how-to-get-through-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/the-myth-about-writers-block-and-how-to-get-through-it\/","title":{"rendered":"The Myth About Writer’s Block and How to Get Through It"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We\u2019ve all heard the term before. Writer\u2019s block<\/strong> is a common, and often overly used, reason people give up on writing. Now, before you get upset and accuse me of blasphemy, let me explain. Writer\u2019s block is a real<\/em> thing and a real concern for writers. I\u2019ve been there many times myself. It\u2019s also very frustrating to be stuck in any creative process, such as writing.<\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s important to understand the difference between writer\u2019s block and procrastination. So, let\u2019s take a closer look, shall we? Writer\u2019s block is defined as \u201cthe condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing\u201d. More generally it means that you just can\u2019t come up with something to write about in that moment.<\/p>\n

The shift from writer\u2019s block to procrastination happens when you use that block to stop completely or push back your writing for months, or even years. And that\u2019s just nonsense! Nor should it be the result of writer\u2019s block. When you go to this place, what you\u2019ve fallen into is procrastination. And that\u2019s mindset that is extremely hard to get out of.<\/p>\n

Now, before I go on, I will be 100{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c} honest in admitting that I\u2019ve used writer\u2019s block as an excuse before and I\u2019ve also stopped writing for more than a year because it felt too overwhelming to start back up once I stopped. I let too much time pass with the excuse of writer\u2019s block. What I\u2019ve learned from my times of extended lapses in writing is that I did something then that I\u2019m now dedicated to not doing anymore.<\/p>\n

I gave up.<\/p>\n

Writer\u2019s block leads to procrastination, which leads to overwhelm, which leads to stopping completely.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So how do you know if you\u2019re dealing with writer\u2019s block and not procrastination? It\u2019s simple. Writer\u2019s block shouldn\u2019t last more than a few hours, truly. Beyond that, you\u2019re just making excuses as to why you can\u2019t write. And it\u2019s not because you can\u2019t, but because you don\u2019t want to. Instead, when you get a block, it\u2019s time to walk away for a while. Think about something else, do something else, and don\u2019t think about what you\u2019re writing, at all.<\/p>\n

Here are some great ways to work through writer\u2019s block.<\/strong> Keep in mind these only take an hour or two (max), and then it\u2019s time to get back to writing. Don\u2019t go home and start another Netflix binge (yes, I\u2019ve done that too).<\/p>\n