Dropkicking Writer’s Block
It’s been a tough year, yo. So tough that I intended to write this post back in January, and it’s now six months later, but writer’s block tends to happen when you’re in the middle of the Apocalypse.
Every time I sat down to write this post, I felt like a fraud. How could I offer other people advice about rediscovering the joy in their creative process, when I couldn’t grasp hold of it myself?
It’s taken a minute, but after finishing up the school year and closing out my time as a teaching assistant, I’ve allowed myself the space to breathe for the past month. I’ve done a lot of soul-searching and finally feel like I’m in a better place.
Before I share how I’ve been dropkicking writer’s block in the face, I have a couple of disclaimers.
Disclaimer #1: I have the privilege of temporarily not working a full-time job, so I currently have extra “free time.’ In all honesty, though, I feel busier now than when I was at school all day! Working from home is a Catch-22 because it’s so easy to topple the scales when it comes to work-life balance. For now, I’m living in the moment and putting in serious work since my time will become more limited soon.
Disclaimer #2: There are still days I need to step away and give myself grace. Afternoons when all I want to do is sit on my bed, binge Hulu, and eat cake. Maybe it’s been a shitty day, or I’m feeling sick/tired. But you know what…people need breaks. We’re not meant to work 24/7.
Now, let’s get to the good stuff.
Five Things I’m Doing to Dropkick Writer’s Block
1. Not making writing my whole personality.
Writing is something I have a deep passion for and consider one of my greatest strengths. I’d do it even if I couldn’t make money from it (which I don’t, LOL, but one day I’ll be able to fully support myself on writing income alone). Even though I’ve accepted these facts about myself, being a writer is not ALL that I am. It’s simply one (large) part of me. I’m also a sister and daughter. A traveler. A risk-taker. A dancer. A pop culture junkie. If I were to focus on all things writing, all the time…I’d burn out every couple of days.
2. Exploring other interests, especially other creative hobbies.
Doing something else creative that’s NOT writing allows the author part of your brain to rest. At the same time, you’re still being creative, which can spark ideas! I love dancing (with Covid creeping around every corner, I’ve really been into practicing my soul line dancing skills in my living room), and this is one of my jams. I also cross-stitch and recently took glass-fusing classes.
3. Reading and watching stuff that sends me into The Warm Fuzzy Place.
You know what I’m talking about: the opposite of the Sunken Place.
Consume media or do things that make you feel happy and bubbly inside. As an author of rom-coms, I’ve really been leaning into the romance lately. Within the past month, I’ve watched and obsessed over: Love Match Atlanta (Bravo), Book of Love (Prime), Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (Hulu), and Maggie (Hulu).
In the coming weeks, I plan on watching Without Saying Goodbye (Netflix), Starstruck (HBO Max), The Royal Treatment (Netflix), The Baker and the Beauty (Netflix), and Resort to Love (Netflix).
I’m currently reading: The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun and Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto.
Warm fuzzies all over the place! Got any suggestions for me? Leave ‘em in the comments!
4. Making it a point to quiet my brain completely.
I’m fairly certain I have ADHD, and my brain is abuzz all the time. While it’s great that I’m constantly coming up with new ideas—seriously, I have enough story ideas to take me through the next 10 years at minimum—sometimes it’s overwhelming and I just need a break.
Recently, I’ve started going on longer walks with TinyDog and leaving my phone at home. I get fresh air and exercise, my eyes get a break from screens, and I purposely use the time to think about the things I’m thankful for.
I’ve also started attending meditation services at a local Buddhist temple. The service consists of gentle stretching, chanting, sitting meditation, laying down meditation, sometimes a walking meditation, sometimes singing, and a short talk. Not only is my body looser when I leave, but I feel more relaxed, and connected to my spiritual guides.
5. Writing something completely different for funsies/low stakes.
I started a secret pen name where I’m writing fun, sexy stories. Since I’m self-publishing and experimenting with a different format (writing an episodic serial), there’s no pressure. Not only that, but constantly drafting and polishing this story has helped my revision and editing process grow tremendously…with a little help from ProWritingAid. I already know when I go back to revisions on CHAOS, the final story will end up in a much better state.
So there you have it: five things I’ve been doing to combat writer’s block. And they’re so simple, you can do them too!
