Writer’s block: 4 tips to regain inspiration

Not being able to write even the first paragraph can be very frustrating. What to do?

Writer's block is one of the most unpleasant phenomena that most people who have to write creatively with some frequency that most people who have to write creatively on a regular basis can experience. It is also a frustrating experience, since it creates the illusion that you are unable to make any progress with your writing, and this complicates things even more, creating a vicious circle.

It is clear that writer's block cannot be solved in a matter of seconds, but there are certain strategies that can be used to maximize the chances of inspiration returning.

Why does writer's block appear?

Writer's block is, as its name suggests, the phenomenon that occurs when someone who is supposed to write an original text (regardless of its length) is unable to write even a few paragraphs that meet a minimum of internal coherence or interest. that comply with a minimum of internal coherence or interest.

It is, in short, the lack of concrete ideas from which to start writing something. A person may be more or less clear about what he or she wants to talk about, but the words simply do not flow. It can happen even in the most creative people, since inspiration is something deeply contextual, it does not arise individually from within each person. The environment, what you are doing, and what you are thinking about what you are doing, are all very influential.

Generally, writer's block is something that is very much based on suggestion. and in the phenomenon known as self-fulfilling prophecy: the fact of thinking about what is happening and categorizing it as a block makes the problem a little more complicated, since this affects the feeling of self-efficacy and causes a certain anxiety to appear that may end up claiming the attention that should be destined to the creative.

Thus, it must be clear that writer's block can be due to many things, but it is never due to the impossibility of writing something creative or original: this is something that can be done by practically anyone with unaffected cognitive abilities. The problem is not in the lack of things to say, but in other things that have to do with two parallel processes: lack of referents, and distractions.

Tips for regaining inspiration

It is something that is qualitatively different from the rest of the difficulties that have to do with writing. If you're tired, you write slower; if you're pressed for time, you think about what you're going to write or make notes here and there, but if writer's block sets in, you make virtually no progress in trying to get creative, you make practically no progress in trying to get creative..

So, where writer's block occurs, there is an inability to have a good starting point from which to start a text. Efforts to solve this should be focused on providing this fundamental support that, once overcome, gives way to a phase in which writing is much easier. Let's look at some guidelines to follow.

Decide your strategy: gardener or architect.

According to the famous writer George R. R. Martin, there are two types of writers: architects and architects. two types of writers: architects and gardeners.. The former first plan the fundamental structure of what they want to explain and then put it into words, and the latter start with a narrative element and, from there, develop a text, in a very spontaneous way, based on what what they write.

It is very useful to be clear about which of these two strategies to start from. Choose one and be faithful to it, otherwise the simple doubt about which one to follow will make you waste more time and frustrate you more.

2. Look for lack of motivation

It is possible that part of the writer's block you are experiencing is due to the fact that what you think you are going to write does not motivate you, so the desire to face that creative challenge does not arise spontaneously, since it requires a certain amount of effort. If this is the case, look for small elements that do interest you and that you think can fit well and enrich the text, and include them, or make one of them part of that "starter" for the first lines.

3. Put off your perfectionism and write (almost) anything.

You can't be a perfectionist with something that doesn't exist because it hasn't been created yet. However, the effects of excessive perfectionism are felt even before you start writing: in particular, it makes it more difficult to get started. For this reason, it is good to lower the minimum quality required for the first lines by a lot..

What emerges will probably be very imperfect, but at least it will provide a basis on which to build the rest of the text. Even if nothing of what is created in the first writing session survives to the end of the creative process, it will be of great value.

4. Disconnect completely

Another option is to stop obsessing about writing and do something else, especially if it is relaxing and in an environment where it is easy to disconnect. In this way the anguish of writer's block will diminish, and it will be easier to face this task in the future.