Help! I’m stuck in a writing slump
If writing feels like pulling teeth right now, don’t worry, you’re not alone. We all go through slumps, burnout and periods of discouragement with writing. The good news is there is always a way out. You may not feel excited and inspired every time you write, but a few mindset changes can help you overcome procrastination and long bouts of writer’s block. Here are four reasons you might be stuck in a writing slump (and how to combat writer’s block):
1) Story burnout
If you’ve been working on the same story for a long time, chances are you may feel a little sick and tired of it. It happens! With so much repetition, our creative brains sometimes begin to crave something new and different. That’s okay. To combat these feelings of story burnout, first make sure you’re writing your story as efficiently as possible. Check out my post, How to write a book fast to get some tips for writing more efficiently. Next, allow yourself to begin work on a new project, whether it’s brainstorming new ideas, beginning an outline or writing a short story. This will help you feel reenergized about writing. You could split your writing time between your new project and current project; or you could take a break from your current story and try to have some fun with your new idea. Prioritize the enjoyment of writing over productivity for a little while. Taking a break from your current project has the added bonus of giving you new perspective.
2) Not understanding storytelling
As a book coach, I’ve found that the reason most writers get stuck with their stories is that they don’t have a solid understanding of story structure, character arcs and how these two work in tandem. If you find yourself going around in endless revision circles, or you’ve written yourself into a corner, or you just generally feel like you’re spinning your wheels without actually getting anywhere, this is usually a good time to seek out feedback (even if your draft is not finished). Beta readers can be helpful, but they sometimes misdiagnose problems and can leave you making edits that may not be objectively improving the story. If possible, seek out a trusted editor or book coach to assess your manuscript. A good editor or book coach will be able to point out changes that align with objectively good storytelling. I help writers diagnose and fix story problems, using well-established frameworks for good storytelling. The more you understand what makes a good story, the easier and faster it will be to write one.
3) Battling fear
Perfectionism and procrastination are sometimes rooted in fear. We fuss about things being perfect or just right because we fear looking bad or we fear what others will say about our writing. Perfectionism can turn into procrastination or an unexpectedly long writing break because we freeze up or become afraid that we’ll never be able to write things as beautifully as we envisioned them. We begin to question our abilities, what others will say about us and if we heard our calling to be a writer correctly. If you’re struggling with this, again, you’re not alone. Many of us choose writing because we want to create something beautiful, only to begin and notice we’re falling short. It’s important to allow yourself to be bad at writing or storytelling for a little while. Whether it’s at the beginning of your writing journey or during a first draft, we have to give ourselves permission to be a little messy and unsteady on our writing legs. Trust your future self to improve. Writing happens in stages and iterations for everyone. It’s very rare that a person sits down and writes something beautiful on their first try. Don’t hold that expectation of yourself and know that others shouldn’t be holding it for you either. Find a few key people you can trust with your raw, unpolished writing.
4) Unmet expectations about writing a book
You may be well into your writing journey and realize it’s not all that you dreamed of. If you’ve been facing rejection, low book sales or difficulty with social media and marketing, you’re definitely not alone. When it comes to writing a book, we tend to be fed a load of success stories. The biggest writer in the BookTok community posts constantly about her writing dreams coming true: being rejected, then being on the NYTimes Bestseller List for months, being on talk shows, having a huge movie studio sign her for three movies BEFORE SHE HAS EVEN FINISHED writing her series!! Let’s be honest, this is the dream we have been sold about writing a novel. We’re going to get rejected but THEN, we’re going to get our big break. But, the reality is that the writing industry is a lot tougher than that. Sometimes it takes a really long time for anyone to notice your writing. Not only that, but learning how to write well takes many many failed manuscripts and rejection letters. I can’t promise you success is around the corner, but I can give you three pieces of encouragement. 1) The success narratives you see and hear about are not the norm. The norm is struggling to get your book discovered and read. 2) Perseverance does get results. Keep going or you definitely won’t make it. 3) Rethink your why for writing. I don’t think you got into it because you want to be a huge success. I think you got into it because you want to tell stories. Make your focus learning how to tell great stories, regardless of success!
Writing slumps are completely normal. We just don’t talk about them enough. If you’re struggling to get out of a slump, tap into the writing community and ask for help. Writing can feel like a long, lonely process, but there are other writers out there who are experiencing the exact same things you are. Find them, reach out and lean on each other. If you’re interested in joining a positive and encouraging writing community, check out my Community page.
