Comment by M Harold Page (m-harold-page) on Debugging Writer's Block · 2021-10-10T11:34:01.231Z · LW · GW

Semi-pro writer, and blogger here. My angle on this is slightly different.

For me there are (usually) three aspects to writer's block:

1. Some deficiency in craft, usually a lack of conscious knowledge of internalised craft.
2. Too much focus on end purpose.
3. Life

So you can sit down to work, but get stuck because you need to learn more craft, or because your unconscious fails you and you can't just consciously select from your toolkit, or because you have no yardstick on which to judge what you are writing.

And the work becomes demotivating, partly because of the above, but also because of the poor odds and long road to any kind of success: this is especially true when creating a 100K word fantasy novel!

Finally, life gets in the way and gives you other things to worry about. Should you really be writing this blog post, this article, this book, when challenges and tragedies are besetting you and yours?

For me, and at least some people with whom I've compared notes, the solution to writer's block is twofold.

First, consciously learn some craft, if only for quality control. At minimum, know why what you've done well is good. That way you have a launching pad, and validation as you go.

Second, embrace the writing as a worthwhile activity in its own right. I don't know how well any project will do, but I do know spending time writing in flow makes me happy and mentally healthy. Make writing your yoga, not your financial parachute...