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Writer’s block is a disease that affects many people. There are many symptoms and preventative measures to take, but today we’re here to talk about the most common causes of writer’s block. The torment afflicts many, so it’s important to know that you’re not alone.
There are a multitude of reasons you might be feeling stopped up in your idea center. The most common causes of writer’s block are as follows:
Nothing gets an otherwise competent writer to clam up like the worry that whatever he/she makes will not be good enough. You find the task at hand, in this case a college essay, so overwhelming that you just don’t start it.
This often launches students into the throes of what we like to call the PROCRASTINATION DOOM LOOP, an endless cycle in which you convince yourself that the terror and unease you feel with regard to writing your essay will be mitigated or even subside completely if you push the task off until tomorrow. Of course, when tomorrow arrives your fear is only heightened because you have even less time than you had yesterday to brainstorm and edit. So stop worrying that it won’t be good enough and feel confident that it will be better if you start today than it will if you start tomorrow.
Students can also feel blocked as a result of not having enough to do or having too much to do. Most likely you will be working on your college essays over the summer or at the beginning of your senior year of high school and both scenarios can breed college-essay-related lethargy. Why sit down to freewrite when you can float with your fave stuffed animal in the sun?
Who has time to find a topic when there are also a pile of math assignments and a history project to complete? Still, sticking with the essay writing process throughout both the busy and slow times in your schedule keeps your creative muscles warm and makes you less likely to run into a disheartening block along the way.
You may also feel constantly distracted. How are you supposed to put together a coherent thought, forget a cohesive story, if you’re constantly checking your Twitter feed for alien conspiracy theories, causes of global warming, or drama from that crazy Christmas party?
Wait, who’s texting you now? And did your BFF 4 LYF just snap you a picture of a bunny that was adopted by a deer in the wild? Socialization is important (especially when it involves cute animal pics) and social media is an ingrained part of our lives and culture – still when it’s time to get serious about writing your college essay, silence the noise and give yourself some room to develop ideas without the constant lure of alerts and notifications.
Although those are the 3 most common causes of writer’s block (and you can probably relate to at least one), whatever has got you unable to write can and will be defeated!! Don’t be afraid to write sentences even if they aren’t the best sequences of words you’ve ever brought together. You can write now and edit later. That’s the beauty of leaving yourself enough time to get the job done!
Are you a visual learner? Check out our video on the best cures for writer’s block!
