Writer’s Block is Not a Failure — It’s Your Body and Mind Calling for Help

Change your relationship with writer’s block, instead of fearing it

Photo: Nicole Janz

When someone asks you about writer’s block, you never know how vulnerable it’s going to get.

But last time I had that conversation, I opened up without shame. No shame about my anxiety. Not about feeling inadequate. And certainly not about writer’s block.

What helped me be so brutally honest?

I know that I’m not alone. And I don’t want you to feel alone. Here are the biggest questions — and surprising answers — to help you embrace writer’s block instead of dreading it.

But I’ll start with my story.

A year of shame during my PhD

Fresh out of school I worked as a journalist. There was a daily deadline, a word count, and an editor waiting. The words came easily, and every byline boosted my confidence. I thought I was a born writer. For ten years, I didn’t really know how block feels like.

But years later, as a Ph.D. student at Cambridge, that changed drastically. My dissertation felt like a huge mountain. My days had no structure. No one held me accountable. It was painful, and I started wondering why they ever let me into the program — they must have made a mistake! So I kept myself busy with other tasks and avoided my thesis. I couldn’t bear the pain. I ended up spending almost a year being ashamed, deep in writer’s block. I almost quit.

Have you ever been in a situation like that? Where you couldn’t start, or felt like it’s never going to be good enough?

The solution was simpler than I thought.

I started showing up for myself in tiny steps. I broke down the mountain and focused on micro goals. I talked to my supervisor with honesty, instead of hiding that I was not producing any words. I removed some of the biggest distractions and co-founded a writing group. Soon, the words flowed and writing became easier. But the most important step was to let go of my high expectations (that was the hardest).

Now, I have a new way of approaching writer’s block that not only works for me, but I’ve shared…