The 5 Main Causes Of Writers Block

Writer’s block occurs when writers can’t find the motivation or strength or inspiration to continue doing their job, which is to write. There are many causes of writer’s block as well.

Main causes of writer’s block. Source: ThesaurusWriter’s block is more frequent than we imagine, and it will happen at least once in every writer’s life. Even though it’s normal, it may be frustrating and scary to deal with. Reasons may vary for each individual. However, usually, the main 5 causes of writer’s block are the following:

In this post you will find

List of main causes of writer’s block
– Fear
Writers often feel as if their ideas or work are not good enough. This results in being paralyzed and stopping the writing journey. Sometimes the syndrome of the impostor is also there. What if I don’t deserve any recognition for what I do? What if I’m not as good as I thought I was? Even when these emotions are valid, they won’t lead writers anywhere.

Sharing your work with others may be terrifying, but it’s the only journey towards success.

– Lack of inspiration
This is one excuse that a lot of writers come up with when dealing with a block. They will claim that they are lacking inspiration; therefore, the only thing for them to do is lay down and wait for ideas to come.

But this is a ticking bomb. The brain is a muscle that needs training. Deciding not to write for a while will only make things worse. By writing at least words a day, even if they don’t have anything to do with your current work, your mind will become more active again.

– Here are the things you should not do to overcome writer’s block –

– Perfectionism and self-criticizing
Every writer wants their piece of craft to be the most impressive story or essay out there. Yet this is far from reality. There will always be someone who does it better or worse than you.

The only person we should aim to beat is ourselves. Comparing our work with others will lead to frustration and will only retain us from overcoming writer’s block. Also, editors exist for a reason. You need to focus on getting the task done and submitting it. Other people will help you get through the rest of the process.

– Too many ideas
In contraposition of lack of inspiration, writers may find themselves with way too many ideas. Not knowing where or how to start can paralyze them. Writing several stories, articles or essays at the same time can be exhausting and can reduce your attention span. It’s better to focus on one idea at the time, the one you consider to be better or the one you would enjoy more writing.

– Personal issues that need solving
We, humans, struggle with emotions and personal problems regularly. This may interfere with our productivity and functionality, and writers are not an exception.

Anxiety, depression, or grieving are just a few examples of reasons causing writer’s block. Some writers claim they work best when they feel sadness or anger rather than when they are happy.

Some emotions may indeed lead to a writing work that would not occur otherwise. This does not mean, however, that we shouldn’t work on ourselves and our self-improvement.

Here are more articles on the problems creators face.