Beyond Writer’s Block

Rae Jean Proescholdbell, M.A.
Division of Community Health

Ah, the blank computer screen: the cursor going blink, blink, blink. Suddenly, doing anything else seems better than writing that first sentence. Take a minute to list what you do to procrastinate. If you find writing so unpleasant that you put it off (and off and off), then consider the items on your list to be symptoms of “writer’s block.” Writer’s block is avoiding writing, feeling paralyzed when trying to write, or writing only at the crisis point. The aim of this article is to demystify the forces that lead to writer’s block and to suggest ways to counter them.

Antagonizing Forces

The driving force behind writer’s block is fear that one will be judged as worthless based on one’s writing. Perhaps being judged as “worthless” sounds a little extreme, but changing one’s behavior takes an extremely persuasive thought. So think about it: when was the last time that you experienced writer’s block? It was probably a piece of writing that was going to be judged in some way, whether it was a paper that a professor would read or a speech that you would deliver, as opposed to an e-mail to a friend.

The way one thinks about a writing assignment can raise the stakes, invoking writer’s block. All-or-nothing thinking, such as imagining that the assignment will be judged to be either a brilliant success or a shameful failure, not only can get in the way of writing, but also in the way of healthy self-esteem. Assigning unrealistic consequences to one’s performance on the writing task, such as linking a dissertation proposal to being successful in all areas of life (i.e., academic and personal) or to being loved by one’s family, can also invoke writer’s block.

In sum, the forces that contribute to writer’s block are rooted in one’s thinking. This is good news because you can control your thoughts. With practice, you can minimize writer’s block. Before we proceed, take a minute to diagnose the thoughts that contribute to writer’s block for you:

  • I worry a lot about what others will think of my writing performance. (i.e., I fear that others will judge me as worthless based on my writing)
  • I link individual assignments to disproportionate consequences.
  • My academic work is the primary source of self-esteem or pride for me.
  • I fear that my family or others will not love me unless I am extremely successful.
  • I engage in all-or-nothing, success-or-failure thinking.

Note that all of these forces are ultimately linked to concerns about being judged. If you did not check the first force listed above, either you seldom experience writer’s block or you are unaware of the extent to which you worry about being judged. Sometimes just acknowledging this worry can decrease writer’s block.

Facilitating Forces: May The Force Be With You

All of the following suggestions counter worries about being judged. Where applicable, the “contributing force” listed above is also noted so that you can pair the forces specific to your writer’s block with a suggestion for remedy.

Countering Worries About Being Judged

One way to address fears of being judged is to engage in pre-writing exercises. Leave your computer behind and take pen and paper to a relaxed environment such as a café or the gardens. Write down every idea about your topic that comes to mind. By writing down every thought, regardless of quality, you should be able to temporarily free your mind of judging thoughts. Once you have jotted down all of your ideas, organize them into themes by placing one symbol next to each thought of one theme and a different symbol next to each thought of a second theme, and so on. If you are writing a paper, you can then list the themes and choose an order for them. At this point, you can return to your computer and elaborate on the ideas from each theme in your chosen order to—voila!—create a paper.

Another way to address fears of being judged is to consider the interpersonal style of the person giving you feedback. If possible, choose your advisors and committee members with an emphasis on the way they support you, as opposed to their prestige. An advisor who gives praise and constructive criticism is much easier to write for than an advisor who primarily gives negative criticism. However, if you cannot choose your advisors, and you find that your advisor is highly critical of you, attribute the criticism to the advisor’s interpersonal style rather than to yourself. The purpose of a graduate program is to enhance your skills; you are not supposed to know everything. If you are working with a critical advisor, remind yourself that your advisor is going to be critical of your work no matter how good it is, and strive to meet your own expectations rather than your advisor’s. If your ethnic background is not white, it may be particularly important for you to choose supportive advisors or to strive to meet your own expectations. Although the number of faculty of color has increased, many faculty are unaware of the cultural challenges faced by students of color, and forgetting this makes a difficult situation more trying.

Assigning Proportionate Consequences to an Assignment

You can prevent future writer’s block by remembering and celebrating one’s successes; try going out with friends or family after an important academic meeting or after being awarded a fellowship. If you have a tangible reminder of your success (e.g., a plaque, a congratulations card, a photo), post it where you most frequently write. Try not to give more weight to the next assignment due than to your past successes; amplifying upcoming tasks and diminishing past accomplishments raises the stakes and leads to writer’s block. Celebrating one’s successes increases self-esteem and decreases the worries that can lead to writer’s block.

Finding Sources of Pride Other Than Academics

A second way to assign proportionate consequences to an assignment is to lead a balanced life. When all of your selfworth is wrapped up in academics, the stakes are so high that fears of being judged impede writing. Diversify the sources from which you draw your self-worth by making time for one or more of your other values; creating a balance in your life will decrease stress as well as writer’s block.

Remembering That Your Family and Others Will Love You Regardless of Your Success

Minimize fear of judgment by surrounding yourself with reminders of people (and pets) who love you regardless of your writing. These reminders can be in the form of pictures, screensavers, cards, and gifts. If you are unsure about whether your family or friends will love you if you fail academically, then share your worries about academic success with them and see what they say. Often, just giving voice to your fears is helpful in addressing them, and others can’t know your worries unless you share them.

Include symbols of support in your writing environment. Through therapy for writer’s block, a friend of mine realized that he missed having the support of a father figure while growing up and that the image of a fatherly hand on his shoulder helped him write. He harkened back to the Narnia books of his childhood and remembered how powerfully the lion in the books spoke to him. My friend now writes with the figure of a small lion on his desk.

Music can also support you. Identify songs that inspire you and make you feel good about taking academic risks. Play these songs when you are feeling most uncertain (e.g., before a thesis defense) or in need of inspiration (e.g., daily, during your final writing push).

Counteracting All-or-Nothing Thinking and Remembering that Performance Is Judged on a Continuum

Counteract all-or-nothing thinking by using multiple categories to evaluate your success. For example, rather than viewing anything below an “A” as failure, take into consideration how much you learned in the class, whether you are able to apply this learning, and how challenging the class was for you. Underlying your all-or-nothing thinking may be a thought such as “average is shameful.” Remind yourself that the meaning of “average” depends upon your comparison group. If you are in graduate school at Duke, all of your academic work is above average!

Resources

Duke’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) can help you assess the sources of writing problems. CAPS offers an annual dissertation support group, as well as oneon- one assistance to identify thoughts and behaviors that contribute to writer’s block. Such assistance from a CAPS therapist also can help determine whether the writing difficulties you experience are indeed writer’s block or whether they stem from a different psychological concern, such as Attention Deficit Disorder. You can make an appointment at CAPS by calling 660-1000.