There’s a lot of talk about this thing we call “Writer’s Block.” This idea that when you need to write you can’t, or you are somehow blocked from writing and you end up sadly staring at a blank page instead.

There are many reasons for this phenomena, but none that I feel are actually a “block.” Here are several reasons you may feel blocked when you want to write, and how to move passed it.

 

 

Are you forcing your content?

There are times when we feel we should write, or we have a deadline and we may want to push out the content or force. Well, that can be a challenge. I’ve been writing for at least 10 years between two websites and I’ve never once had a shortage of ideas or words for my own websites. When it becomes a challenge is if I try to write something that isn’t in line with my usual words or style, that I don’t feel connected to, or that perhaps I’m not meant to write.

And it’s not because I’m special. It has to do with energy blocks and forcing our words.

For example, I’ve looked at websites to guest post and have been completely stumped as to what I would say that matches their content. But my own website? I have pages and pages of ideas and only a shortage of time to get them executed.

Make sure you are connecting to your content and allowing it to flow, instead of forcing it to come!

 

When you write matters.

How you feel when you write matters. If you try to write at a time when you are uninspired, it can be very challenging. Writing has a feel to it and is a creative endeavor like any other. Creativity is hard to force – no matter what.

Which means, when you feel that block, it’s time to move your body, do something fun, and THEN connect to your Inner Voice that may be trying to reach you.

Even putting on three minutes of music and dancing around your house will get things flowing. Better yet, get outdoors, hit the gym WITHOUT worrying about your writing. Worrying about it won’t make it come. But ironically, not thinking about it will.

 

Often something else is in the way of the energy.

Maybe someone gave you feedback that made you feel like giving up?

Perhaps you feel pressure because your audience is growing and now you’re second guessing your words?

It could be that a series of events happened in your life that made it hard to move forward with ANYTHING.

Writing, when you are clear channel is like turning on the water faucet – it just flows. And there are times when that flow is turned off and that’s OKAY.

We aren’t meant to be creative 24/7.

Creativity comes from being in the present moment, doing something, and suddenly the idea hits or that light bulb goes off. In those moments, get to your paper and pen or even turn on a voice memo to capture it.

Because that’s when you’re inspired to write.

 

Healing can block your writing.

There’s one other “block” that gets in the way of our writing and that is when something needs to be healed.

Oftentimes when we write, it stirs up old memories. Things we may have forgotten or things we may want to forget. Rather than face those memories and get curious as to what insight they have to offer, we can find ourselves wanting to avoid writing. It feels like something we’d just rather not do. Once we’re through that healing, then the flow is back and the words find their way to your page.

It’s always a good idea if you feel blocked to get curious and wonder why. Is it truly the words aren’t coming? Or is something else going on energetically? Are you forcing it before it’s ready?

 

 

Writing when you are solving a problem can be futile.

There are times when you might get feedback from an editor that you need to make big changes, you may know that something is wrong with your content but you can’t quite put your finger on it, or your words sound “clunky.” Writing when you know something is off but you have yet connected to how to fix can be pointless.

It’s better to do something else. Go have some fun! Hit the beach, swim, walk in nature while you noodle it over and let it work itself out. Then when you have that flash of insight as to how to fix it, THAT’S the time to hit the keyboard or record it into you phone. Otherwise, you can just be pushing against a closed door.

I know we can have deadlines to meet, but still – go for that walk, hit the gym, take a yoga class, anything that gets your energy moving.

Meditation is another great way to move the energy and connect to your words. When they feel stuck, put on your headphones to 30 minutes of calming music and give your mind a mini-vacation. It often moves the clutter and stress enough so that you can see how to resolve the places you know something is off and then you can go fix it.

 

Sometimes you need to start over.

Now I know we can get sentimentally attached to our writing – it happens! But there are times when you just need to start over. You’d be surprised how blocked you can feel trying to re-work words that just aren’t working, but when you take a break, meditate and walk in nature and start over – it can actually be faster to rewrite the document rather than “re-work” it. And the second time it often sounds seamless.

I’m the first to admit there are times when I’ve spent countless hours on a blog post and the thought of starting over makes me tear up a little, but every time I’ve done, my new version has always been 100 times better than the old one. Usually the do-over is pretty quick because I’ve already done the hard part of figuring out what should be included and what shouldn’t be. So I know it sucks, but sometimes it’s the better way to go.

 

For Bridges and Sacred Scribes

There’s also another type of writing for those of you who are Bridges and Scribes (see 22 Signs You Are a Sacred Scribe or Bridge). If that’s the case, you can actually commit to a time to write and it will flow best during those hours after you show up at that committed time for a few weeks.

For example, for several years I used to write first thing in the morning before I did anything else and I never had a shortage of ideas. I would wake with the idea and sit down to write it. It was only after I also committed to an exercise routine and meditation practice that I altered that practice and began to write at different times of the day. But for years, showing up in the morning several days a week worked great!

If you suspect you are a Bridge or Scribe try telling the universe, “I will show up every Monday at 7:00 p.m. to write” and see what happens (You choose the time and date of course). You may be surprised at how those words just flow once you commit!

In my opinion, Writer’s Block is an energy block, just like any other. If you know how to move the energy, you remove the obstacle, right?

You may enjoy these Guided Exercises to Unlock Your Writer’s Block.

Let me know in the comments what ways you release Writer’s Block or if you have never had it. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.

Do you think it’s a myth or a true block? Is it an energy block? Let me know what you think in the comments.

XOXO,