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There’s No Such Thing as Writer’s Block

April 9, 2015 by Kenna Griffin

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. There’s no such thing as writer’s block.

I know you’re already mentally arguing with me. “Of course there is,” you’re saying. “I’ve had it,” you’re claiming. Nope. You haven’t. What you’ve experienced is the desire to procrastinate when you should be writing.

writingWriters just call this procrastination “writer’s block” because it sounds better… like a real (possibly diagnosable) problem instead of us just not doing what we’re suppose to be doing. Writer’s block sounds fancy and kind of elitist. “Not getting my writing done” doesn’t sound nearly as nice.

What’s perhaps worse than calling it writer’s block is the advice writers receive when they say they’re experiencing it. They’re told to take a break, step away, do something else for a while.

So the solution for procrastinating when you should be writing is procrastinating some more? I’m not buying that.

Here’s some real advice for what to do when you’re procrastinating on your writing: put your rear in your chair and write. The only way to overcome this procrastination is to force yourself to do the writing. You can always fix it afterward, but you can’t edit nothing. Usually you’re pleasantly surprised when you discover that what you wrote isn’t nearly as bad as you thought and the process of having written it did not, in fact, kill you.

Even if what you wrote is crap, you can fix it. You’ve written. That’s what’s important.

Tip 1: Put your rear in the chair and write

Now I’m going to let you in on another little secret… I’ve been sitting at my desk for almost an hour knowing that I needed to blog and not doing it. I hadn’t yet decided what to blog about today, so I wasted a bunch of time on social media. It was fun, but not too productive.

Not knowing what you’re going to write about or where to start is a common reason that we procrastinate with our writing. As soon as I opened up my idea list, I realized that I’d been wanting to write about writer’s block for a while. Suddenly, I was excited to write. I just needed to identify an idea to motivate me. Because I assume I’ll never remember an idea, I have an entire Evernote folder of lists and clips of things I want to write about.

Tip 2: Have an idea file

I rarely procrastinated on writing when I was a full-time journalist. I knew it was my job to go into the office every day and write. I would write something different every day, but I knew that’s what I would be doing for about five hours (interviews take time too) of every day. I didn’t procrastinate because I had a writing routine and deadlines to meet.

Tip 3: Schedule your writing to make it a habit

Another reason I didn’t procrastinate on writing as a journalist is because I usually already knew pretty much what I was going to write when I sat down at the computer. I would gather the information, then begin writing the story in my head, usually while driving back to the office from interviews. As a blogger, I find that I still do this. I wrote the first few sentences and brainstormed the tips for this post while I was changing the laundry. When you think about what you’re going to write, the process is easier.

Tip 4: Write in your head

But, even as a writing lover, journalist, writing professor and blogger, there are times when I don’t want to write. Granted they don’t come often, but they exist. I try to be ready for them by writing ahead when my creative juices are flowing. When I think of a great idea, I grab a piece of paper, outline it and just start writing. Sometimes I type out full blog posts in my iPhone’s notes app. When the content is coming easily, I take advantage of it.

Tip 5: Write more when it’s easy

There are a lot of things you can do stop procrastinating on writing. First you have to recognize “writer’s block” for what it actually is. It’s just you not doing what you need to do. Then, you just have to write.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above (typically those to books) may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I promise that I only recommend products or services I use personally and think will provide you value. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Comments

  1. yuribrown says

    April 11, 2015 at 12:06 am

    leaderswest profkrg I’m with you — NEVER SPEAK THOSE WORDS

    Reply
  2. PhoebeVertigan says

    April 11, 2015 at 11:12 pm

    MelissaOnline profkrg great post… I needed this today!

    Reply
  3. sjmcBruceSmith says

    April 14, 2015 at 9:28 am

    profkrg Journalists can’t have writer’s block. Being in a newspaper newsroom as an intern taught me years ago how to just do it.

    Reply
  4. profkrg says

    April 14, 2015 at 12:27 pm

    sjmcBruceSmith They sure can’t. Journalists have to write when it needs to happen. No excuses.

    Reply
  5. profkrg says

    April 19, 2015 at 5:14 pm

    jgombita Me too! It was a lot of fun. Always a good chat.

    Reply
  6. sjmcBruceSmith says

    April 8, 2016 at 2:09 pm

    profkrg In 1970 I interned full time at a daily paper. I learned the first day that writer’s block was not an option. Best lesson ever.

    Reply
  7. hicarrieproject says

    April 19, 2016 at 5:18 pm

    StylebyVal thanks for sharing this!!!

    Reply
  8. StylebyVal says

    April 19, 2016 at 6:32 pm

    hicarrieproject Of course! You’re welcome, Carrie!

    Reply

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Prof KRG

Prof KRG aims to create an ongoing educational dialogue among media professionals, students and educators.

Please let me know what resources you need or topics you wish you better understood. If I don't know the information, I'm happy to seek out someone who does.

Contact me via email at kennagriffin@gmail.com.

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Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.

— Henry Ford

About Kenna Griffin

I am a mass communications professor, journalist and collegiate media adviser. I teach classes including those on writing, reporting, media law, media ethics, social media marketing, and public relations. I am married, have two children and live in Oklahoma. More about this site's purpose

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