Fear of the Blank Page: Understanding and Conquering Writer's Block

Sarah Pan Student Life

As a writer, the thought of filling an empty document with imaginative ideas should fill your mind with intriguing topics to delve into. But more often than not, you can find yourself drawing a blank, and the only thing that comes to mind is your lack of creativity. Your eagerness to write is thrown aside by your inability to form a concise, fresh idea, and this cycle repeats for weeks until you start to wonder if you can even be considered a writer anymore. While it’s true that most writers suffer from writer’s block, is it really “writer’s” block if you haven’t written in almost a year? The answer to this question lies within the personal experiences of each writer.

Writer's block is a seemingly indestructible wall between writers and the imagination needed to fuel a new piece of work. It stems from a multitude of reasons; mental health, stress, age, and even change of environment. Inspiration for written work is usually found in the writer’s experiences. Thus, if aspects of their lives differ from how they once were, their flow of ideas may fluctuate accordingly. This struggle comes with a fear factor, in which writers become afraid of disappointing their readers, not wanting to write unless they publish jaw-dropping work. Because of this unrealistic expectation, writers can be held back from writing for months, causing them to forget why they chose to write in the first place. However, not knowing what or how to write does not mean that the writer has reached the end of their journey: the “indestructible” wall of writer's block can be broken. Ms. Lue, an English teacher here at Earl Haig, finds herself struggling to write at times as well, despite being constantly immersed in the world of writing as an English teacher at Earl Haig. She reflects upon this challenge by recalling when she was asked to speak at her best friend's wedding. Frustration and stress hindered her process as Ms. Lue wanted to please such a large crowd and more importantly, her best friend. However, as her exasperation grew, she took the time to be patient and remind herself not to stress out too much. Ms. Lue makes a point to mention that it is important to take a step back and try not to force ideas out. And with this mindset, she was able to deliver a beautiful speech that everyone loved.

But what if you’re struggling to form any ideas at all? In this case, Ms. Lue recommends taking a piece of paper and allowing yourself to write, ignoring whether or not it is coherent. This helps stimulate your imagination, and even stumble across a topic you might be able to explore.

To have writer’s block means you want to write but can't; at the end of the day, it is important to remember the writing process is different for everyone and that the title of “writer” is not defined by how much you write or the quality of what you write. It is defined by your desire to write. The desire alone answers the question of whether you are considered a writer. Now stop reading this article and take on that empty document one last time.