Rejecting writer’s block: rediscovering your writing passion this summer

There is a sense of irony about writing whilst talking about writer’s block. But this frustrating struggle has been bothering me all throughout the summer months. Whether it’s a sense of burnout after exam season, or just the warm heat getting to my head, writing can be tough during such a long break. Every budding writer has experienced it, so where does it originate, and how do you get over this tendency found in every creative person?

The phenomenon of writer’s block is defined as the “temporary or lasting failure to put words on paper”, often provoked by worry, academic fatigue, or just the fear that your writing will not be good enough. Due to the fact that writing is such a creative process, relying on flow, passion, and courage, the inability to complete such a task is frustrating for the sufferer. Even successful authors, such as the Franz Kafka, have personal accounts of their frustration, with words in his letters poignantly phrasing that his personal worries and woes led to his despair and battle with creativity.

The antidote for writer’s block is often quite, dare I say, trivial. Many articles have told me to go on a walk, or remove distractions, and whilst I cannot deny this works to an extent, it will not hit the nail on the head. Returning to “the roll, the rise, the carol, the creation”, perhaps pretentiously put by Gerard Manley Hopkins, feels like it comes from within. The art of putting pen to paper is a personal thing, and overcoming that is tough.

To read the full article on theboar.org, click here