A Powerful Resource for Moving Past Writer’s Block

All writers suffer with creative blocks from time to time. You may not find yourself staring at a blank page for days on end, but you’ve probably found yourself procrastinating on a writing project or wrestling with specific scenes you can’t seem to write. When we face writer’s block, in small ways or large, we need help moving past it. There are tons of books and websites that promise a sure-fire cure, but they may not work for you.

Why?

Because not all blockages arise for the same reason. If a writer’s block solution doesn’t address the root problem you are struggling with, it won’t help you.

That’s where this wonderful book comes to our rescue. Overcoming Writer’s Block: The Writer’s Guide to Beating the Blank Page by Marcy Pusey. The author is a therapist and an author who has spent years helping hundreds of clients move past writer’s block. She can help you, too.

First, the good news:

• Writer’s block is REAL. It’s not just a wimpy excuse or your imagination.
• It’s not permanent.
• It is not a sign you’re a bad writer. All creatives struggle with it at times.
• Finally, it’s not our enemy. Blockages are merely an indication that we have some inner issue we need to address, such as a fear, an unhelpful belief, or a bad habit.

With that as a foundation, the rest of this book explains how to identify the particular inner issues we’ve run up against, and then offers techniques to work through them and get back to writing with confidence.

The five common types of blockages

The book covers the five most common types of blockages writers struggle with:

• Mental (beliefs and thoughts that sabotage or hinder us)
• Emotional (fears, emotional responses and past trauma that hinder us)
• Scarcity (feeling that we lack key resources we need to succeed)
• Attentional (our focus is drawn away for one reason or another)
• Procedural (unhelpful habits and workflow can hinder our progress)

For each of these types, the book lays out information so we can identify our problems and find practical ways to move past them.

Learn, Identify, and Take Action

Within the chapter on a particular type, the book includes the following subsections:

• A basic explanation of the neurology at work with this type of issue. (The author does an excellent job of providing enough information to explain things without overwhelming us with too many details and unfamiliar terms.)
• A list of physical, emotional, or behavioral signs that indicate we may be struggling with this issue. This was eye-opening! These signals are our subconscious trying to get out attention and deal with something important.
• Descriptions of the typical kinds of unhelpful beliefs, fears, habits, etc. that we writers face when we’re stuck in this type of blockage, along with better truths to move past them.
• Practical, doable techniques to help us overcome these specific issues.

I’m inspired. Are you?

I have been challenged and inspired by this book. In particular, her explanations of what is happening at the neurological level really helped me understand WHY the various techniques can help. I now have much more respect for some of the creative exercises I used to discount as a waste of time. I hope you are encouraged as well.

In closing, I leave you with a quote from the book that sums up why it’s worth the effort to move past writer’s blocks and continue to write. May it inspire you.

“Neurologically, your brain heals when you engage with, wrestle with, and share your story. If for no other reason than your own freedom and health, your story matters.”

Marcy Pusey in Overcoming Writer’s Block

Lisa E. Betz is an engineer-turned-mystery-writer, entertaining speaker, and unconventional soul. She inspires others to become their best selves, living with authenticity, and purpose, and she infuses her novels with unconventional characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her Livia Aemilia Mysteries, set in first-century Rome, have won several awards, including the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021).

She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in her novels. Lisa directs church dramas, hikes the beautiful Pennsylvania woods, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit www.lisaebetz.com.