10 Writer's Block Busters

Everyone who's put pen to paper or fingers to keys knows that moment. 

Thirty minutes ago you were brilliant. Inspired. Totally on purpose. You poured something hot, rolled up your sleeves, and positioned yourself at your desk ready to craft something truly clever, elegant, perhaps even profound.

And now?

You're staring a hole through a blank page like it owes you money - and wondering how you ever got it in your head that you could write in the first place.

Ah yes. Writer’s block.

Writer’s block is sneaky. It doesn’t send a calendar invite. It doesn’t care about deadlines, confidence, or the fact that you told someone you’d “have a draft done by tonight.” It just shows up unannounced, kicks its feet up, and says, “So…what are we not writing today?”

Here’s the good news: writer’s block isn’t something happening to you. It’s something happening inside you.

Which means it’s not permanent or something beyond your control. It’s not a verdict on your talent. And it’s definitely not proof that you should “finally be realistic” and start that exciting new career in spreadsheet management.

It’s just your brain doing a weird little dance.

The good news is: there's a way out. And it might be easier than you think.

Writer’s block happens to every writer, and it doesn't matter how long you've been doing it. Beginners. Veterans. Bestselling authors. Writers you secretly compare yourself to and assume never struggle because they look so confident in those back cover photos.

It only gets unbearable when we start taking it personally. You know, that moment when throwing your laptop out the window feels like a reasonable problem-solving strategy.

The difference isn’t whether our heroes experience writer’s block. It’s what they do when it shows up.

What's Actually Causing It?

Psychologists Michael Barrios and Jerome Singer identified four common causes of writer’s block:

• Expecting too much of yourself. (Hello, perfectionism.)

• Comparing yourself to other writers.(Style, process, results.)

• Lack of external encouragement and support. (Praise, feedback, attention.)

• Lost confidence and/or energy. (Self-doubt, fatigue, losing that original "fire".)

If you nodded at any of those, congratulations. You are officially a writer.

In truth, writer’s block usually comes down to two simple possibilities:

Your brain either needs a break, or it needs to be gently but firmly told, “We’re doing this anyway.”

With that in mind, here are some of the most reliable ways to get unstuck - both from my own writing life and from years of working with other writers.

For scientific purposes, we’ll divide them into two categories.

(Side note: if your block is tied to deeper mental health issues, trauma, or neurodivergence, some of what follows might not be enough on its own. Support helps. Nothing weak or un-writer-like about that at all.)

Brain Breaks

Sometimes the best move is stepping away. Not quitting, just interrupting the spiral.

Try one of these:

Sleep.

You’re not terrible at writing. You might just be tired. Sometimes "terrible" and "tired" can feel like the same thing.

Move your body.

Walk, stretch, get outside. Fresh air and blood flow do ridiculous things for creative thinking.

Watch something on TV or play a game.

Sure it can become a permanent distraction, but it can also loosen you up. Maybe even inspire you with fresh ideas or new directions.

Talk to actual humans.

Not just the imaginary ones currently living in your manuscript. Crazy how connecting is sometimes all you need to unlock creativity.

Freewrite about anything nearby.

Your coffee mug. The tree outside your window. The person at the next table. No editing. No judging. Just keep the words moving forward, however imperfectly they spill out.

Enjoy the silence.

Seriously. Do nothing for a few minutes. Just sit and let your brain idle. Writers spend so much time trying to fill the silence that we forget creativity often grows in it.

Dig-Ins

Other times, walking away is exactly what you shouldn't do. Sometimes the answer is to stay put and push through it.

A few reliable fixes:

Remove distractions.

Phone. Notifications. That one tab you absolutely don’t need open right now. If it's something (or someone) you can't get remove, consider removing yourself to another location.

Revisit your outline.

Go back to the "lightbulb" moment that kicked this whole story off. Rediscover what got you jazzed in the first place.

Write regularly, even when you don't feel "inspired".

Feelings usually follow action, not the other way around. Inspiration and creative flow love a routine. They hates waiting for the perfect mood. Sure, it might take some discipline but, hey, that's writing.

Lower your expectations and write badly on purpose.

Ugly writing is still writing. Pretty comes later. Don't worry, nobody's watching, just do it!

Visualize instead of analyzing.

Close your eyes for a few minutes and let the scene play like a movie in your head. Be in the story, describe what you see, make sure what's happening on the page makes sense. I encourage writers I coach to do that regularly as they go, and it makes a surprising difference.

The Nuclear Option: Deadlines

There’s one tactic that works disturbingly well: a deadline.

When I wrote comics fresh out of film school, I had to deliver a full episode every month. Final draft. No excuses. You know how often I had writer’s block? Almost never.

Deadlines stop the part of your brain that wants to “think about it a little longer.” Sometimes a little time pressure can be a wonderful thing. You write because you have a clear finish line and the clock is ticking.

Is it perfect? No. It's probably a bit of a hot mess you'll need to come back and clean up later.

But did you get something on the page? Oh, yeah, baby!

So What Works For You?

Every writer develops their ow rituals. Some need coffee. Some need silence. Some need music. Some need a walk, a timer, or someone to check in with.

Whatever works, share it.

Because somewhere right now, another writer is staring at a blinking cursor, wondering if writing was a terrible life choice.

Here's the beautiful truth: It wasn’t.

They probably just need a snack.