"Do I need to write anything? Or do I need time and blood?"
— Sylvia Plath, from a diary entry featured in The Unabridged Journals Of Sylvia Plath
We've all been there. You're sitting at your computer staring at a blank page, maybe a few sentences or words put down and you don't quite know where to go from there. So, inevitably you either walk away or force yourself to write some more and a few moments later you think: this is crap, this is crap.
Yep, we've all been there. And for me, I am still there.
There are plenty of people talking about "tips to get over writers' block" and such things; half the time those tips never actually work. The block hits us all and I don't think there's one perfect way to get passed it. Sometimes you do have to walk away and take some time to let the muse come back to you. When it's there, it's amazing, the words just flow. Other times you have to force yourself to sit down and just write. Just do it. Sure, nothing flows like you wish it would - apart from maybe a few sentences here and there - but at least you're getting back into the swing of writing.
I know some people treat writing like it's any other job. Sometimes, you don't want to go, you don't feel up to it and are lacking motivation; you still go and you do your job. You just have to keep writing, even if you don't necessarily feel it in that moment. You push yourself until you get it done.
Pretty much how every essay goes...
For myself, however, my approach to writers' block varies.
Sometimes I do believe it is great to take a break and let yourself recharge. Walk away, focus on other things, don't stress yourself out too much. It often helps me to read other things (books, articles, etc.) to get the muse to start flowing again. Reading inspires me and motivates me; it helps push me further.
Other times I just sit down and force it out, or sometimes I don't force it and just let whatever comes to mind get put down. Doesn't mean that I like it or feel like things are flowing as they should be, but it's still writing and getting things done.
Writer's block is a struggle for a lot of us, just like we struggle with everything else. Painting, drawing, reading, working, the list goes on and on. How you approach it depends solely on you. There isn't a wrong way to go about it, despite what some people may say
