Eliminating Writer's Block for Good

This article was originally published in the Writing Cooperative.

People often talk about flow in writing. When the flow is flowing, creativity is available in full force. Writing feels good and happens naturally. Time passes quickly. Meals and restroom breaks are forgotten. Excessive force isn’t necessary.

Sentences are pieced together almost unconsciously; meaning drips from each written syllable. Things process smoothly. There is a predictable rhythm and regularity to the sound of the keyboard.

How satisfying it is to be in a writing flow.

But remaining in this flow is another story. Usually we fall out of it more often than fall into it. It usually happens quickly; it always happens at the worst possible time.

The flow can turn viscous, a sludge-like substance lacking both speed and direction. Words fail to materialize. Each sentence feels like running a marathon with cast-iron shoes and a backpack full of rocks. Hitting keys on the keyboard isn’t as easy.

To write a single sentence, the writer may have to wring their sapped brain out like a sponge. Even then there are no guarantees.

This phenomenon—this bane to writers—is writer’s block. It is infamous and inevitable.

From high school students writing essays to professional novelists penning bestsellers, everyone encounters writer’s block.

We stare at a blank page, waiting for our genius to reveal itself to the world but instead we’re left with a headache and frustration.

Even the best writers have trouble maneuvering this impasse. Some people pace back and forth. Some people eat. Some people exercise. The remedies vary.

There is one technique I’ve found that works best.

Despite all the articles on writer’s block, I have never read a single article on reader’s block. Even in our least productive moments, we don’t lack the creative juice to read. We can always read.

There is no such thing as reader’s block.

To solve writer’s block, we can start by picking up a book.

What should we read?

When we feel like we can’t write well, we should seek out well-written books. Because, evidently, good books have good writing.

Classic literature is a good place to start. For writing to last centuries throughout history, it’s safe to assume those writers knew what they were doing. Enough people read these books for them to remain relevant, referenced, and respected well after the death of the author.

Narrow the selection of books down to something you’re interested in—coming-of-age, good vs. evil, romance, thriller, science-fiction. Enjoyable reading makes for higher retention. Inundate yourself with inspiration based on what best captures your attention.

Simply put: read good writing that interests you.

Classic literature isn’t the only source of good writing. Far from it. But, for brevity, this is a good place to start.

How should we read?

Reading good books helps mitigate writer’s block. But there is a specific way to read that can help us even further.

We should approach reading as if the text was written specifically for us. Then, we can more clearly determine the relevance in the writing and use it as a catalyst for our own creativity.

We should read as if we have something to learn from the author. The author is there as a guide and a teacher. It becomes a much more intimate experience with this approach.

A two-way conversation should ensue between reader and writer for maximal takeaway. Rather than perceiving a book as information to download, view it as something personal—ideas accrued specifically as inspiration for your writing.

Reading becomes much more fruitful this way.

Reading to Unlock Your Writing

Reading is the ammunition behind writing. It provides a surplus of words and phrases that otherwise remain unknown. Books represent handheld, accessible sources of wisdom that exist outside the restraints of time and history. They are portals into different epochs, universes, and minds.

Through reading, we are granted access to brilliant thinkers, storytellers, historians, and philosophers. Authors from any era can act as a personal mentor, fueling our ingenuity and sparking our words.

What better way to circumvent writer’s block than diving headfirst into a book? Imbue yourself with diction and sentence structure, examine the frameworks for themes and characters.

Unshackle yourself from the chains of writer’s block. Pick up a book. Start inhaling the words. Feel the language and meaning replenish your writing tank.

Take advantage of the fact that no one has ever complained about a reader’s block.