What to Do When You Can’t Write

We all know how difficult writing can be and how rewarding a good writing day is. Writing can be likened to a slippery hill that you can only climb when it allows you to. And to a playful child that isn’t always going to be in a playful mood with you.

The things that can make writing easier for you are the same things that can make it difficult for anyone. This is so because nothing stands alone, everything in life depends on other things to survive, function well, and thrive.

Any time it becomes difficult for me to write, I go ahead and do other things I enjoy doing. It might be reading; going out for a walk, and taking different pictures of scenic views. Nature is beautiful, and being appreciative of it helps to relax the mind and prepare it to receive new ideas.

This is why you should step back and do something fun anytime you find it difficult to write. A wall would at times appear before you to send you away from your desk to have some good times that would help you unsee the wall when you start typing again.

I remember one Saturday evening that I left my desk after finding it difficult to write. I returned after 20 mins, yet the tap refused to flow. I tried to force it open, but it was only a drop before it locked itself back again. As I struggled to make some progress with my writing, I remembered that I scheduled to go out with a friend who lives on the next street. I sent a message to him to confirm our appointment.

In the next 15 mins, we were already on the streets chatting as we stroll to the park.

“I thought I couldn’t write anymore some minutes ago. It was like the well was empty or that the zeal was no more. But being here with you has changed how I felt about writing while I was on my desk.” I said to my friend.

“Methinks you were struggling to write, and you don’t have to do that when there are other things you can joyfully do.”

“What are the other things?”

“Anything you’d enjoy doing, like climbing trees and chasing birds.”

“Hahaha! That sounds interesting, but I prefer going for a walk like I’m doing now.”

“Whatever floats your boat, buddy.”

Gradually I began to feel relieved and reinvigorated as we chat and walk around the park. Fresh ideas and energy began to find their way into my body as the outside world restores and reenergizes me. I suddenly realized how I was going to finish writing the paragraph where I was stuck before stepping out to meet my friend.

If all of a sudden you can’t type, then maybe it’s time to close your laptop and get busy with something else. You owe yourself some good time every day. It’s far more beneficial to make out time each day for other fun activities that would enrich you and your creative mind than to struggle with the craft and produce works that lack quality.

Writing isn’t the only thing you should be doing because the craft draws ideas from the other activities you surround yourself with. This is why many writers prefer to keep their day job. Not only that their jobs provide guaranteed monthly income which helps them write without expectations. Their job also helps them with ideas of what to write about.

Having interesting hobbies also helps to strengthen your relationship with the craft because anything that makes you happy helps keep the love for the craft alive. Writers that live interestingly write interesting pieces.

Keep the love for the craft alive by surrounding it with other activities you love. You might find it difficult to complete your many writing projects if you’re not spending adequate time on other interesting activities that would help you to stay on track every day.

Writers’ block happens when life happens. When some other aspects of your life feel neglected, they’d work together to form a wall against your writing. You can’t give all the love to writing and expect not to receive backlash from other aspects of your life that equally need your attention. And this attention is necessary because when you give it to them, they’d, in turn, return the love in kind. That’s when you’d feel motivated to write. Ideas would rain. Words will flow.

Nothing stands alone. Therefore deprive not yourself of nice times because of writing. If you give all the love and attention to writing alone, other aspects of your life would remonstrate. And you begin to experience writers’ block.

What works is to be fair to all. Give yourself the nice time you deserve so you can receive what you need to keep writing. A reliable writing life isn’t achieved in isolation. It’s achieved by living interestingly.

I’ve read of many successful writers that would habitually step out at a particular time each day. They follow this routine because it helps them reinvigorate themselves and to receive fresh inspiration and ideas for their writings.