Writers anxiety and blocks.

I’ve posted a lot about writing challenges because it’s so easy think you’re alone when you’re struggling and its important to have honest conversations around it. Through the creative process, you may experience writers anxiety or blocks, which are different modes of stress playing itself out, but the reasons behind it are often the same.

Anxiety can be activated when you are feeling stress, fear or unease. All normal feelings and helpful when used as a signpost to know something isn’t right and when you stop to pause and reflect on what might be causing it. But it can soon become a problem if you continue at breakneck speed and are then crippled by self-doubt, perfectionism, fear of criticism, or a fear of failing. Then rather than realising that this is stress, you might if you are like me, take it as a sign that you shouldn't continue, that you don’t have the right to follow your dreams, that it’s all pointless. Even if you continue in the face of these crippling emotions, it can still have a detrimental impact on the quality of your work and productivity.

Alongside, writers anxiety there is also writers block which is when you can’t produce new ideas and work or it feels like the brakes have been slammed on the creative process. Again the tentacles of perfectionism or fear of failure are here reaching far and wide but it also could be life throwing you major curveballs that lift you right off course.

If you struggle with writers anxiety and blocks, here are some helpful tips and strategies to help you work through it;

1. Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps to make the writing process less overwhelming. For example rather than writing the whole book from the get-go, start fleshing out chapter outlines, to make sure you are happy with the narrative arc of the whole story, then define and refine each chapter, thinking about the key scenes you want to include and bring to life.

2. Set realistic goals and deadlines to stay motivated without feeling overwhelmed. Like committing to finishing a chapter by the end of next week. It doesn’t need to be perfect because that’s what the editing process is for, but the satisfaction of meeting a deadline can’t be underestimated.

3. Practice mindfulness or relaxation techniques to reduce stress and anxiety before writing. It could be a small as taking some deep breaths, stepping out into the garden for some air, or going for a long walk in nature.

4. Write freely without worrying about perfection during the first draft; editing comes later.

5. Take regular breaks to prevent burnout and maintain mental freshness. Do something completely unrelated like exercising, listening to a podcast, cooking a meal. Its in those moments, inspiration can strike.

6. Experiment with different writing environments or routines to find what works best for you. If you always write at home, try a cafe or a library. I’ve recently discovered the Barbican Centre which has co-working space. It’s lively but has a creative energy that I love and that feeds me.

Remember that it's okay to struggle,  every  writer faces challenges, and setbacks are a natural part of the creative process. Most importantly remember these feelings will pass, they always do. I hope this has been helpful, please do like or leave a comment if you have any other useful tips and tricks for overcoming writers anxiety and blocks.

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