If you have to write an essay, a research paper, anything, but suddenly understand that you can’t do it – simply can’t, without any logical reasons – don’t panic.
It is not your own unique malady; it is a psychological condition known as writer’s block, encountered by many people all the time. There are a lot of possible reasons for this condition:
- Distraction, when something constantly happens that keeps you away from work and doesn’t let you concentrate.
- Personal problems of a more or less serious kind: from a headache to a grave illness, problems in family or depression.
- A situation when you have to deal with something that you potentially can write, but don’t have the slightest inclination to do so, for you are simply not interested or have to write in an unusual or uncharacteristic style or genre.
- Low opinion of your own writing.
This list may go on and on; in fact, almost every situation may result in writer’s block. On the other hand, it may not. Some professional writers suffer from this condition for years; the others manage to fight back and overcome it.
If you are not in the writing career yourself, then your situation is not that bad; all you have to do is get rid of this obstacle that hampers you from writing your essay, write it and live further.
There are some tips that may help you out:
- If you are not inspired by the topic, try to find an aspect of it that may interest you, or look at it from an unusual position.
- If you are unsure of your own abilities, tell yourself that all you have to do for now is write a preliminary draft, which isn’t supposed to be perfect.
- Start writing – anything, whatever rubbish comes into your head. Once the words appear on the paper, you’ll be able to go on. The most difficult thing is to write the very first word.
- Divide the task into numerous sub-tasks; deal with them separately, think every idea over, connect them later.
- Discuss the topic with somebody: even a friend, who doesn’t know anything about it, will do. Once you start forming your ideas orally, you’ll be able to grasp what you have to write.
- Improve your writing skills by consulting our Writing tips section.
The ways of fighting writer’s block are as numerous as its reasons. Try to define what particularly bothers you most and try to eradicate the very reason of it.
