The Writing Process - Chipping Away Your Writer's Block

Writer's block has been the bane of a writer's existence since the beginning of time. This malady is lamented about by professional and amateur writers alike. Visit any writer's forum and there is at least one thread devoted to the discussion of writer's block. In the case of a professional or academic writer, writer's block (fear-of-the-blank-page) can cause a great deal of stress as deadlines loom ever nearer while nothing emerges to grace the page.

A creative hindrance, writer's block is a period of non-activity for a writer. The blank page can be both frustrating and intimidating to the writer or poet who, in their attempt to write something is unable to come up with anything to write. There is a variety of causes of writer's block. These are some of the most common reasons and some possible solutions that should have you writing in no time!

1. The fear of coming up short from your last project. Most artists and writers are compelled to bring to life thoughts and ideas that are often abstract in nature. Their work is usually very personal. When they begin a project, they are usually consumed with a fear of falling short of their intended goal. They fear that their intended goals will be lost and will not be accomplished. When this happens they become disappointed in themselves. If writer's block does not occur at the beginning of the project, it may happen later in the process of the work. Some writers combat this by embarking on several projects at once, jumping from project to project, and not finishing one before working on another. It also often results in many unfinished projects. If you do this, try to keep your goals realistic.

2. Coming off of a lengthy hiatus. When a writer takes some time off due to illness, to go on vacation or to take care of family or personal matters, the creative process can go to one of two extremes: the writer can either be recharged and inspired, ready for the next project, or the creativity can disappear, leaving a once prolific mind rattled and blank. Even the most famous professional writers are still humans, even before they are writers. As humans, they are bound to slip back and lose some ground occasionally. Sometimes, though, reading inspirational material or working on your own "pet projects" can help bring the creativity back to life.

3. The little voice that works overtime to undermine your security. Self-doubt is definitely a creativity killer. "I haven't had any formal training," "I am too new to this profession," "I am not familiar with that particular writing style," "My friend is a better writer" and other detrimental statements can wreak havoc on a writer's morale, confidence and creative juices. Writers who fall victim to these insecurities must realize that there will always be someone smarter, more talented, more educated, and more productive. They must also realize that it is important to find and accentuate our own personal strengths. When you find what you do well, the best style for you, then you can work on that skill and perfect. Do not allow your fear of not measuring up hold you back.

4. Too much stuff on your plate. Even the most famous writers have real lives. Unless you are a writer of the same caliber as Stephen King, you have a REAL real life. There are bills to pay, kid to care for, a household to keep and you may even have a daytime job on top of it all. Therefore, it is any wonder that you can even find the time or the energy to squeeze in writing! When your mind is muddled with all of the real life stuff and you have a lot on your plate, you can become overwhelmed and your creativity may wane. Time management is the best way to combat this problem. Write a schedule for yourself and stick with it as much as possible. However, do not get mired down in very specific times. It is important to include a little flexibility in your daily routine, leave a little room for play in case something comes up suddenly or you just need a breather. Also, make sure that you include some time for yourself.

Writer's block does not have to mean death to a writer's creativity. If you find that you are staring at a blank page with not a thought in your head, try writing something - anything. Just start writing and see if things start to come together. If they do not, try some writing prompts, or read some famous quotes and see if your mind takes off and begins creating again. The important thing, though, is that you do not stress yourself out. Do not force things and make sure that you get plenty of sleep. Writer's block does not have to be fatal to your creativity.

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The Writing Process Articles

Chipping Away Your Writer's Block

Writing Articles - Grammar and Punctuation Basics Part I

Writing Articles - Grammar and Punctuation Basics Part II

What is The Writing Process?

Every writer uses a certain process to get from having a blank piece of paper to being the proud owner of a finished work. So, what is the writing process exactly? There are five components of the writing process, which are prewriting, writing, revising, editing, and publishing. Teaching the writing process is possible but different writers use different writing methods, so to explain the writing process should set a foundation and some guidelines rather than be something all writers must strictly adhere to always.

Prewriting is all about finding inspiration, perhaps by reading other printed media, using an event in your own life or any other way to get ideas. The research process in writing is also important, since you will want to have all the details ready in your mind before writing. Alternatively, you can start writing as soon as inspiration strikes and work out the details as you go, editing your work afterwards.

The actual writing process is about getting everything on paper because the third and fourth stages of revising and editing mean you can correct your work or make changes afterwards. It is better to get everything written down and then go back over it. If you take too long to get down the original draft, trying to make everything perfect, you risk forgetting some of the things you wanted to say.

Also it is more inspiring to see a finished piece of writing that needs some correction rather than a semi-finished piece which you are trying to perfect the first time around and have lost interest in. Getting everything down on paper and editing it afterwards is perhaps the most important writing tip for new writers.

The final part of the writing process is publishing. Your writing is ready for publishing when it has been checked through and revised or edited if necessary. Publishing is the final step in the writing process.