Overcoming Writer’s Block
Writer’s block… That dreaded phrase. Kurt Vonnegut put it best when he said, “Who is more to be pitied, a writer bound and gagged by policemen or one living in perfect freedom who has nothing more to say?” If you are a writer, you’ve likely experienced this condition. I have many times and I’ve found a few things that have helped me beat the block and get back to my writing.
First of all, before you read another word, take a deep breath. If you are currently suffering from writer’s block, remind yourself that you are not broken. This is only temporary and it will pass. We often expect to sit down and write out a piece deserving of a Pulitzer in the first draft and that never happens. Give yourself a little grace and the allowance to write something bad. Remember: great written works are created through many drafts and edits.
Create an outline for what you want to write.
If you can’t get the words that you want to say onto paper or organize them once they are there, sit down and make an outline. Jot down all of the ideas you have and the points that you want to make so you can organize them into cohesive sections and plot out your full piece. We usually learn how to make outlines in secondary school when…
