Writer’s Block and How to Cure It!

So you’re writing maybe four to five very good chapters in the past couple of weeks and suddenly you find yourself to be lost for words. You force yourself to come up with ideas and refer to your notes, hoping your fingers would magically type out paragraphs but without avail. This is what we call as writer’s block and it’s a common part of every writing experience no matter what genre.

As you might know, I write fantasy books. So I’m not gonna lie, I often find myself grinding for fictional names, cultures and backstory. Not to mention the aching effort to fix plot holes kept me going around in circles. Just the other day, I spent the whole night figuring out the backstory of my main character’s father! And let me tell you, I was so disappointed when I couldn’t think of anything that I burst into anger!I tried actively looking for story ideas from the internet as well as finding inspiration from other famous fantasy books and authors but I only end up more confused. Perhaps you’ve also encountered a similar problem. Well let me tell you the obvious secret of how to cure this ailment…JUST STOP TRYING. Yes, you read that right. Sometimes the best thing to do when you’re having writer’s block is to do nothing at all. Go do something else. Mow the lawn, watch some TV, get a few drinks, or whatever it takes to get your mind off it.

Why am I telling you this? Easy. Sometimes, things are easier to look at with fresh eyes. When you get off your keyboard and go do something else, you’re resting your brain to prepare it for the next cycle of writing. After you’re well rested, you’ll be surprised how obvious that thing you’re looking for was!

HOWEVER, don’t be surprised if that rest time would take you days, perhaps even weeks. It’s okay. You cannot rush a good story. Just take things easy or else you won’t enjoy it, consequently making you not interested anymore.

Relax and let your mind have a break. It would be easier to be inspired when your brain isn’t tense. Just remember to take things easy and enjoy writing. You could always do some research on your story if your “author’s itch” is acting up. But the goal here is to take your mind off of what you’re writing for a while. God willing, you’ll write the best story you’ll ever tell!

Thanks for reading and have a nice day!