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For starters, to those blessed to have never endured such a disease, writer's block is defined by most people as having no idea on what to write. Seriously, a massive ice plate somehow stretches from ear to ear within your head and you have NO clue as to how to begin a sentence let alone an article. Of course there are two kinds of writer's blocks: the block of the artistic poseur who earns sympathy for the struggle without needing to take the risks. For someone like that, the advice “to write” even if you're blocked is good advice (!) The second kind of block is when other things in life interfere with the desire to be writing right now. Something else needs your attention more than your manuscript, like your grades falling or more importantly like your parents grounding you off the phone because your grades are falling.

But I say writer's block can happen for more reasons. Maybe you have too much on your plate, maybe you just don't know enough to even start writing (ahem, I don't if that's the reason for me *sigh*) Perhaps, being overworked in any area does get one too stressed; draining out all creativity! Or maybe a writer might feel pressured with high expectations and so would feel the fear of failure!

The range of duration of a writer's block is scary though. It could be from weeks to years and if you have been facing the issue for ten years now, here's a thought: Get a new career line! Examining block strictly in terms of duration, temporary, resolvable block lasting one hour to six months could be called "Acute Writer's Block", and resistant blocks that continue beyond six months from initial symptoms could be termed "Chronic Writer's Block". The latter can't be easily treated though. Ralph Ellison, whose first book, "The Invisible Man" was published in 1952, complained of discontinuous writer's block that prevented him from completing his second book, "Juneteenth", before his death in 1994. So yeah, if only I was there to tell him to search a different career path then he wouldn't be complaining for forty two years now would he?!

About the Acute Writer's Block though, many people have overcome it with self-help. Now a lot of people actually don't believe in writer's block, they just think it's an excuse of some sort to not have to face…well…writing. To them, writer's block is not the inability to write, it is the feeling as you are writing, and that what you are writing is 'cow dung'. The only way through it is to give yourself permission to write cow dung like materials. (You may replace the word with more formal euphemisms like “fertilizer” so that your audience isn't aware of how bad your writer's block issue really is).

If all else fails though, try out the following to get your brain all fired up:

* Don't try to be good - dare to be bad (strictly implied to writing only)

* Write about someone you hate and send it to a confession magazine (If that don't work, nothing will)

* Join a writing group to give yourself a deadline (tell them to slap you five times for every day that you delay)

* Call it 'writing' time when you mail queries, chat online, make backups.

* Switch from computer to pen or pencil (Reflect and rejoice on how much easier it is to type instead)

* Take a walk around the block and use the time to let your subconscious mind work while your conscious mind relaxes (Doesn't include sleepwalking)

* Try a free-writing brainstorm (be as liberal as you want but then burn the piece of paper)

* Write in a journal knowing you are not trying to write for others (Know that your audience is not smarter than you! Therefore and thus, you can be as dumb as you want)

* Break large writing goals into more manageable tasks (one small step for man, a giant leap for mankind...)

* Write under another name to reduce expectations you have for yourself (Change your gender, age, race whatever! Pretend you are a female Hitler writing to The Three Little Pigs!)

Anyway, the idea is that you can overcome it. It's hard to tell why and when it all happens, but in the end of the day I guess if you don't practice anything long enough, they just get clogged as part of your memory.

Reference: www.writing-world.com