Cure Your Writer's Block in 5 Minutes!

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I'm not sure if I have written about this topic here before, but if I have, never mind. I have a confession to make. I suffer from a severe writer's block. That's very unfortunate, because I have wanted to be a writer since I was a child, and I've always felt like I was "born to write".

I do write posts on my website; writing fact texts like blog posts is not the hardest thing for me. It's writing fiction I have the worst writer's block with. And writing fiction is when I really "get it all out" and it's kind of therapy to me. So, not writing fiction leads to me not feeling so good, and lots of emotions get stuck inside me.

When I was a child, I didn't have any writer's block. I was constantly writing on note books. Was it moving on to computer age that caused my writer's block, then? No, I don't think so. I would still happily allow myself to write on notebooks, if that would help.

Not "Ready" to Write

Writer's block feels like you're "not ready" to write, not today. You make up excuses so you can do something else instead of writing, as if there was always something "more important" to do ("I'll just re-organize my duct tape collection first"). If writing is my heart's desire, how on Earth is something else always more important??

I realized I have to face this, I have to face the blank paper and just write anything. I need to get the words out to actually feel like me again.

As always, getting started is the hardest part. Yes, just opening a new file and writing something on it. Anything at all. And doing that every day, even if you write just for 5 minutes.

Because at this point, when the writer's block is so bad you can't even open a text file, it's better not to worry about writing a "proper story", or even a story. No planning, just write something!

In the long run, yes, I would like to continue writing some of my unfinished stories and actually finish them. But for me, writing is not just about finishing stories and maybe getting someone to read them. It's about expressing myself and dealing with my emotions and deepest wounds. It's necessary for my mental well-being, so the most important thing is just writing in the first place.

The Secret of Writing

The secret of writing is, that you just have to write, even if you're not ready. Because you're never "ready".

And today, I decided I have to write for 5 minutes, and not a blog post this time, but fiction. And I did!

You know what I wrote about? About writer's block and what it feels like. Just not in a fact style like this post I'm writing right now, but fictitiously.

And now I feel like I let something out that has been stuck inside me for a while!

So, here's my tip for you, if you're suffering from writer's block: Write about anything for 5 minutes. Don't judge yourself at all, but just write any crap that comes on your mind.

Because the only cure for writer's block is writing, and writing only.

Even if you're not struggling with getting started with writing fiction, but writing blog posts on your website, the same strategy applies. You just got to write something.

Don't even think about writing something you could actually publish on your blog. If you have writer's block, the best policy is to write anything that comes on your mind. If nothing comes on your mind, write about how much it sucks not being able to write, and how frustrated it makes you feel.

Then, when you get the writer's block out of the way and get used to writing 5 minutes every day without any criticism, you can start writing something you might actually want to publish. You just have to get the "horror of writing" out of the way first, so you won't stop writing again.

"Cure Your Writer's Block in 5 Minutes" Challenge - Who's with Me?

I don't want to fall back to the writer's block again, so I'm going to continue writing anything that comes in my mind for 5 minutes daily. I'll write down this task on my to-do list for tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that...

Will I write more than 5 minutes some days? Will I actually start working on a story I have planned properly? It's very likely I will, but my first goal is to cure my writer's block and connect with my "writer's soul" again. So, my goal at this point is just to write anything that can be classified as fixctitious text daily for 5 minutes.

Now, I'd like to invite you to join me in "cure writer's block in 5 minutes" challenge! Are you tired of your writer's block? Do you want to get the words out? If you're ready for the change, let me know if you're with me!

The challenge is to write 5 minutes every day. You don't need to write fiction, unless that's what you're struggling to get started with. The goal is to cure your writer's block, so if your writer's block is about writing fiction, then write something that could be called fiction.

If you're struggling with getting started with your blog posts, you don't need to write blog posts at first, though. Just write anything, as long as you write for 5 minutes every day.

The catch is, though, that you don't just write for 5 minutes once, but 5 minutes daily. The challenge is sticking to it and making it into a habit, no matter how little you write each time.

Have you ever suffered from writer's block? Either with writing on your blog or writing fiction? How did you get over your writer's block? I'd love to hear your tips if you have any, so please share them in the comments below!

And of course, let me know if you're going to join me in the "Cure your writer's block in 5 minutes" challenge. :)

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Recent Comments

14

Hi Kirsti
Yes this is great advice. I don't know if I have ever had writers block but maybe "writers doubt" occasionally.
Sometimes I think what I am writing is crap - but I write it anyway and then fix it up later if necessary.

Thanks
Dave

Yeah, that's the best way to avoid writer's block; write anyway and fix it later.

I can't tell you how many times I have cleaned the bathroom or did the dishes—anything to put off writing—any kind of writing. Since I work as a journalist, that is not a good thing!

I totally get that feeling especially with my fiction writing. I know the story I want to tell, but for some reason, something blocks me from writing anything. I have done NaNoWriMo for the last 7 years and still haven't finished a novel because something always blocks me.

I am with you on the cure your writer's block five minutes challenge! It will do me some good!!!

Thanks for sharing!

Karin

So I'm not alone! Awesome, thanks for joining the challenge, we can do this!

Good post with very good advice which applies to a broader spectrum too not just writing but when we delay or put anything off by finding something else to do and pretending (to ourselves) that we are busy.

Thank you! You are very right about that; this doesn't only apply to writing but anything we procrastinate with. If it's important and you want to do it, you should do it, even a little every day. Not wait for the "right time", because the right time is today.

Mostly I don't have writer's block but when it pops up, I do what you mention here.

Oh, you're lucky not to suffer from writer's block much! Great that you've already figured out the solution when it happens.

Great advice thank you for sharing

You're welcome!

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