The irony of being a writer who has nothing to write about has slapped me in the face multiple times. I write for school, I write for an internship and I write for this magazine. But it never gets any easier. Luckily, for school I have prompts, and my supervisor gives me the stories to follow for my internship, but when it comes to creative writing and blog writing, the writer’s block is incessant.
Even as I write this now, I feel like I’m driving without a destination, although this time I did have an idea—writer’s block, but I can’t find the right structure to convey my thoughts. This is just one of the many factors that make me question why I decided to have a writing studies minor in the first place and why I want to work in the field of professional writing. The good news is that I have no interest in becoming an actual content writer anymore; the bad news is that writing is still my major hobby.
I end up frustrated more often than not, but there are some things I’ve done that have worked out for me:
- Re-reading old work.
As painful as it sounds, it is still effective. This method works especially well if it’s something you last worked on years ago. Perhaps you have a different perspective than when you wrote it. You can see what works and what doesn’t. If there’s something that strikes a chord, you can steal it and create an entirely new piece.
- Re-reading favorite books.
Ask yourself what made this story work for you. Think about scenes you think could be reworked, and do it yourself. This can be really great for creative writers.
When it comes to blog writing and other forms of journalism, you just have to look to the world around you and see what’s worth talking about. I think that’s why I have a hard time doing this. I’m in my early twenties, so I can’t give as much advice and information as I’d like to, and tell entertaining stories people want to hear. Experience definitely plays a role in writer’s block sometimes, and you have to work on developing your own niche.