Writer’s Block Sucks – The Stages

Writer’s block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author is unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown.

– Wikipedia’s definition of writer’s block

Don’t you just hate it when you sit in front of your laptop and open Word/Notepad/(insert any writing tool) and stare at it for hours and hours desperately trying to type at least one sensible sentence? And when you do think of a sentence (or if you’re very lucky; a paragraph) and type it, you then proceed to hit the backspace button in annoyance while mentally chanting “Delete! Delete! Delete!”. That’s just how yours truly functioned since November 2020 when she was on the verge of abandoning her 2 day weekly posting schedule from September, due to pent up writer’s block. Bonus fact: that’s how this post was written as well, but there was some motivation. In fact, writer’s block is the abstract equivalent of your pen acting all weird and faulty midway in an exam, while you’re trying so hard not to throw it across the classroom out of anger. Overall deduction? Writer’s block sucks big time, and it ain’t cool one bit.

Just like any other creative block, writer’s block to has its stages (whose descriptions I shall keep shortened for obvious reasons) which are as follows:

Stage 1: Determination

You got the ideas, you got the willpower, and you got the motivation. Now all you need to complete this is the determination: surprise, surprise, you have that as well! Now you’re on your way to your place of writing with a new found sense of creative energy and for a great time, and are determined to overcome your writer’s block.

Stage 2: Distraction

So far, you’re doing a great job with your project. But then you decide to look up something you didn’t understand/a reference, and 5 hours later you’re transported to a never ending rabbit hole of YouTube videos, memes and Buzzfeed quizzes about THE most random ish out there. Congratulations, you’re officially sidetracked from your main goal, and good luck getting back on track. (Also, there are quizzes on what kind of a potato you are on Buzzfeed. I know, such things exist XD )

Stage 3: Procrastination

Hopefully, you’re making an effort to go back to your project and you’ve supposedly made a 4% progress in it. Then, out of the blue, laziness slowly creeps in which later changes into de-motivation. As a result, you once again proceed to slack off on your project and waste even more time. Cue the “I’ll do it (insert time period)” punchline.

Stage 4: Review ‘n Cringe

The next time you resume writing your project all fresh and clear, you decide to proof read what you wrote so far for any more adjustments. You go into this procedure thinking there’s absolutely no flaws in it, but boy you’re in for an extremely rude awakening. Minutes into reading your work and you’ve already put on the cringe face and are most definitely wondering, “WTH is this?! Is this even English?!”. So much for “masterpiece of the year”, right?

Stage 5: Frustration

Be it rewriting segments of crap you wrote or starting from scratch, you’ll eventually hit a wall, and you obviously try to push it. Sadly, you may not get any ideas or straight up act like a perfectionist and start doubting yourself, which slowly builds the frustration of completing your work. You’ll even start to wonder why the heck you took up this task in the first place, even though you’re well aware that writer’s block is just a part of the creative process.

Stage 6: Just keep typing!

This is the saying I follow every time I’m writing something, or even a fleeting second of inspiration passes by, and this is something that has really helped. Even though writer’s block has seemingly put you down, you can still beat it just by typing away since there’s a chance that you might get some more ideas. Keep going with your work, buddy!

Well, that’s all I have to offer so far, and……..I can’t believe that classes resume from June onwards, and I’m realizing this a week before (mind the awkward signing off part, I honestly have no clue what to write). Until then, fellow readers! SS is out.

-Silver Stone

© 2021, Silver Stone. All rights reserved. Don’t land yourself in hot water, be smart!

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