WRITER'S BLOCK

Why it happens, how to outsmart it, and the tools that get you writing again

This guide is for authors who've run out of words, time, patience, or all three. We'll break down the reasons behind writers block, methods to regain your writing rhythm, and provide some tools to help you along the way.

Before we start, we need to ask the big question...

What Exactly Is Writer's Block?

Writer's block is that maddening state where your brain refuses to produce words, your characters won't co-operate, and the blank page starts giving off hostile energy. One day you’re crafting glorious sentences; the next you can't spell "because".

It's not a personal failing. It's not a sign you're not a "real writer". It's simply your mind hitting a temporary traffic jam, usually caused by one of three things: exhaustion, uncertainty, or trying to force your creativity into a shape it hasn't grown into yet.

Why Writer's Block Is Completely Normal

Humans are not machines. Even machines stall sometimes — printers do it constantly, usually right when you're already late.

Writing isn't just typing; it's problem-solving, world-building, emotional excavation, and sometimes wrestling your inner critic into a cupboard. That takes energy. When the mental tank hits empty, the words sputter.

Writer's block happens because:

• Your story needs a solution you haven't found yet.
• You're overthinking.
• You're under-thinking.
• You've lost the spark.
• Life is currently being "a lot".
• You're trying to multitask your plot, character arc, backstory, and existential dread at the same time.

All of this is normal, and fixable.

Ways to Overcome Writer's Block

Here's where we get practical, gentle, and occasionally a bit mischievous.

Change the Question You're Asking

Instead of "Why can't I write?", try "What's the simplest next step?".

Sometimes the block isn't about the whole book — it's about one stubborn scene.

If you need help digging into your characters' motives, try dipping into the Character Development Prompts Guide — it's packed with questions designed to unstick even the most uncooperative protagonist.

Write Something Terrible (On Purpose)

Perfectionism is writer's block in a fancy hat.

Give yourself permission to write a scene so hideous you'd burn it if it had a physical form. Bad words lead to better words. Good words come from edited words. And edited words come from something — anything — being on the page.

If the perfectionism is tied to structure anxiety, swing over to the Story Structure & Pacing Guide. Sometimes the antidote to "stuck" is simply understanding where you're supposed to go next.

Change the Medium

Can't type? Handwrite.

Can't handwrite? Speak into a notes app.

Can't speak? Doodle a stick-figure storyboard like a cave-artist. Your brain loves novelty; it gets bored easily.

If you're visual by nature, peek at our World-Building Prompts & Setting Guide — sometimes sketching out your world's quirks kicks the plot back into motion.

Skip the Scene That's Annoying You

You are not contractually bound to write in order.

If Chapter 7 is being a diva, write Chapter 14. Or the ending. Or that big emotional punch-up you've been dying to get to. Momentum anywhere creates momentum everywhere.

Use Timers to Trick Your Brain

Set a timer for ten minutes. Tell yourself you only have to write until it beeps. Half the time, you'll keep going out of spite.

For more structured approaches, check out the short exercises in the Prompts Guide — they're tiny bursts of creativity perfect for jump-starting your brain.

Re-Read the Last Thing You Actually Liked

Sometimes block comes from forgetting what you're good at.

Revisit a scene that reminds you "Yes, I can write". Look at that sentence. Stunning. A masterpiece. You're not rebooting your ego — you're rebooting your narrative compass.

Fill the Creative Well

Your creativity isn't an endless fountain; it's more like one of those coin-operated water features. Every so often, you need to chuck something in to get it flowing again.

Refill it by:

• Reading outside your genre.
• Watching films that make you think differently about story.
• Taking a walk without doomscrolling.
• Having a conversation with a friend who knows nothing about your book (and therefore asks the best questions).

Our blog on Finding Your Voice pairs beautifully with this — it explores how inspiration and identity feed each other.

When Nothing Works (Yes, It Happens)

Sometimes block isn't about the book at all. It's about burnout, overwhelm, or a life event punching holes in your creative sail.

Here's what to do when even the "fix writing by writing" advice laughs and walks away:

Step Away (on Purpose, not in defeat)

A rest is not giving up. Brains heal. Creative systems reboot. Stories settle into shape when you're not looking.

Talk It Through

Describe your stuck point to someone else. They don't need to be a writer. Half the time you'll solve your own problem while explaining it, in the classic "oh wait — ignore me, I've just figured it out" moment.

Re-examine Your Foundations

If you're blocked because the story's broken underneath, revisit your plan. Check character motivations. Look at the stakes. Make sure your protagonist actually wants something more interesting than "to survive the chapter".

The Plot Diagnostics & Revision Guide will help here — spotting structural cracks that create stuck scenes.

Accept the Off Days

Creativity is cyclical. Some days you'll write 2,000 words of pure magic. Other days you'll write "The night was dark… very dark… the darkest night that ever darked."

You're allowed both.

When All Else Fails: Write the Truth

Not the truth of the story — the truth of you.

A journal entry. A rant. A letter to your characters asking why they're like this.

Anything that clears emotional clutter. Clearing the internal noise often frees the narrative one.

Final Thoughts

Writer's block isn't a curse or a sign you should take up knitting instead (unless you want to — knitting is delightful). It's simply a moment where your creative gears need oil, space, or a different kind of spark.

You're not broken. Your story isn't doomed. This is part of the writing life — one every writer survives, even the ones who pretend otherwise.

Writer's block won't fix itself. Get the worksheet and show it who's running the show.