Writer's block in teen writers

Question

I have come across many writers who just quit writing because they think writer's block just means the person cannot write anymore. Now I'm facing the same issue, and I feel like it might be the end of my writing or creative thinking capacity. I ache when I think about not getting to express my feeling to others. Is there any way to overcome my problem?

Answer 1

Writer's block usually happens when the discrepancy between the goal of writing a masterpiece and the writing skills that you have to achieve that goal becomes too vast. You want to sit down and write something perfect, but you don't know how and the likelihood of failure is daunting you. You want to avoid proof of your inability at all cost. So you don't write, because as long as you don't fail it still seems possible that what you would write could turn out to be a masterpiece.

The solution is to accept that writing, like all skills, requires many years of practice and that to acquire that skill you will have to write many practice pieces (or "failures") to learn how to write.

So stop trying to write a poem that will make you famous or a bestselling novel or a script that will become a Hollywood blockbuster. Instead, write as a student and learner. Intentionally set yourself to write practice works. Do not write to publish and to be admired, but to build your skill. With time you will grow and eventually you may succeed professionally.

---

What every aspiring writer needs to know:

1. How long does it take to learn to write?

2. How many novels do you have to write before you get published?

3. How do you overcome writer's block?

Answer 2

A writer's block isn't usually a permanent problem. It's more like not being able to sing due to losing your voice because you caught a seasonal flu. It tends to pass after a while, though it may take longer than a flu (most often a matter of months).

You can try seeking out inspiration, challenge prompts and such, but don't force yourself to write if you don't feel it, you don't want to burn out.

If you ran into a block working on a single larger project, you can set it aside and write something else instead. Perhaps in a wildly different style or setting, and I'd recommend for it to be small (short story or even just drabble, not another novel). It's possible you've written yourself into a bit of a corner, so after having a rest, you might want to edit out the last couple of scenes so you can better follow with the story. You might not be seeing just how right now, so feel free to put it on a back burner for a while.

There isn't even any shame in aborting a work forever, but if you find yourself aborting all works you start, then it's a sign of some kind of issue that needs addressed. (Maybe your projects are always too ambitious and you need a plot that can be wrapped up in a smaller wordcount?)

If you have a block regarding all writing, then you might need a break from writing in general, or a source of inspiration.

As a teenager, writing is presumably a hobby for you. You don't have a contract running, you don't owe your works to anyone, you don't need anybody's permission to just take a break. Read a good book, listen to music or play music, go on a hiking trip, spend a weekend at a convention, see old friends, make new friends, have fun. If you used up your inspiration, then new experiences are likely to bring inspiration again, but that isn't the primary reason, the primary reason is - well, to have fun. Be nice to yourself. You have a whole life, so live that life.

Sometimes, a writer's block can be caused by a bigger problem in your life, such as depression and lack of confidence, or high levels of stress and exhaustion. This especially sucks if writing was your coping technique, right until the problem got too deep for it to work. If that's the case, then what you need is for the bigger problem to sufficiently clear out. The opposite is also possible: the bigger problem may have cleared out enough for you to not need to cope with writing anymore, though then you wouldn't be likely to be bothered by your lack of drive to write.

If you're struggling with feelings along the lines of "why bother, nobody's interested in what I write", having a writing community where everyone is interested in each other's works helps with that a lot. Unfortunately, I can't give you any tips about finding one because I've pretty much just stumbled into it. (And considering our language, giving you a link would almost certainly be pointless.)

Answer 3

I would say not to worry so much, it is normal for creativity to ebb and flow. At the moment, you could try writing about your life, or keeping a diary. That way, you can keep practicing your writing without needing inspiration. Prompts are also useful.