In a post on the Stage 32 blog, Evelyne Gauhàthier offers advice for overcoming writer’s block. “If it makes you feel any better, many writers, musicians, composers and artists in general have suffered from it, such as authors F. Scott Fitzgerald and Charles M. Schultz (the very productive creator of Charlie Brown and Peanuts), to name a few,” Gauhàthier says.
The first step is figuring out which kind you have: small or big. “Small dead ends are the ones you sometimes encounter when you get stuck at a point in the story with a specific plot or a conversation and can’t find a way out,” Gauhàthier explains. Do address these, Gauhàthier suggests skipping scenes to write out of order, brainstorming what cannot happen next, changing the setting, asking what-if questions, and asking your peers for help. In some cases, merely stepping away for a few hours or days will help.
But what if you have big writer’s block? “We’re no longer talking about a simple difficulty on a scene or a dialogue, but the inability to finish writing a script, or even to start it,” Gauhàthier writes. This often happens with new writers, who tie themselves in knots comparing themselves to peers or professionals. They fear writing something that isn’t perfect or being rejected by a publisher.
Big block occurs differently in experienced writers, who can find themselves creatively exhausted after periods of high productivity. Some get blocked after experiencing a big success, afraid that they won’t be able to repeat it. Perhaps later work has not been as successful as their debut. Now what?
“While there is no magic bullet for writer’s block, establishing a writing routine may help,” Gauhàthier says. “It can help you get in the right frame of mind and take your focus away from what’s blocking you. After all, a routine is a bit like a ritual.” Experiment to find the right place, time of day, and conditions (clothing, noise, food) that work for you. Most importantly, give yourself some slack and rediscover what drew you to writing in the first place. Remove outside expectations and you might discover your block isn’t as big as you thought.
