Eight key suggestions for beating that ‘oy vey’ moment in your life’s passion

We have all experienced it. You are cruising along at light speed banging out the first four or five chapters. And then BLAMMO! You hit the infamous brick wall known as writer’s block. At that point, the roof may as well collapse on your head as all the psychological hang-ups come pouring in; I’m an imposter, my writing is shit, no one will ever give a crap about this, I have no value, my message is worthless, I bring nothing to the table, I am the kiss of death, I will never be on the same level as the established heroes who inspire me, I am a second-rate hack, a dark cloud always hangs over me, I suck at writing and, for that matter, I suck at everything.

Sounds familiar, right? Of course, it does. I just described you, me, and the next-door neighbor, as well as every other aspiring writer throughout the cosmos. Yes, we have all experienced it at least once in our lives. It is called being human — and it is normal. You are not a freak, defect, or failure. You are neither an imposter nor a second-rate hack. As I said, you are Human and, as my mother and grandmother would say, this too shall pass. Unlike a robot or a machine that replicates a limited set of variables, you will always bring value to what you are writing about by the very fact that you, and only you, have walked a unique path in your life’s experiences.

Yeah, I know. You are probably thinking, “That sounds great, Richard. In fact, it sounds so good, I feel like I have just been served a mound of warmed-over bullshit.” I get that. From my own experiences, I am the first to admit that what looks good in blueprints or on paper does not necessarily translate well to the production floor of life itself. This brings me to the Key Suggestions that support this writer’s block pep talk and how to beat these incessant blocks back into whatever hole in the wall they crawled out of. No magic bullets are being presented here. What works for me may not be the thing that does it for you. As I said, we are all human with unique experiences that, at best, can be addressed with key suggestions and advice. Take from this what you will and run with it.

1. Talk with your spouse or companion. They are right there. Just because they have no interest in writing does not mean they will not have a unique, unobstructed perspective to share with you. The discussion I had with my wife, Linda, earlier today is the reason why I am writing this article in the first place (thank you, honey, I love you immensely). In fact, it is the given support mechanism within family and friends that you should be using in the first place. If you are married to someone who offers no support or encouragement, including some key constructive criticism, and all they do is beat you down psychologically and emotionally, then it is time to get a divorce and eliminate this parasitic imbecile from your life. By the way, the same thing applies to any idiots in your family. Separate the wheat from the chaff and move on. I’ve done it myself and I can truly say it was one of the most miraculous moments in my life. Remember, their emotional baggage is your dead weight. Throw them overboard and sail into the sunset with the smile of victory permanently pasted across your face.
2. I would take the same stance with the so-called circle of friends and co-workers we tend to associate ourselves with on a daily or weekly basis. They are always there to give you some key advice. As for the ones that aren’t, it is time to trade them in for a newer group of friends and acquaintances. Remember, there is nothing wrong with outgrowing the idiots you knew in grade school, high school, or college. That, too, is normal and quite human. Some of them will never appreciate you. Many of them will never grow beyond the limited mindset of high school, college, or being married to some putz simply because they had nothing better to do in life. Many will fall behind and never appreciate who you are blossoming into as a writer. Get rid of this batch of inbred baboons and move on. They will only drag you down to a lesser version of yourself.
3. Get your ass out the door. Take it from one who knows. When you are home all day and seemingly succeeding at nothing in your writing endeavors, it is easy to sink into the self-defeating depression that dovetails nicely with writer’s block. Go out for a 2-mile walk around the neighborhood or get on the bicycle that’s been growing dust in the garage while your fat ass gets depressingly bigger and bigger. In my neighborhood, I have the scenic view of the Sandia Mountains that always makes me feel like a human being again. Use what you have. Every town, county, and state is different and unique in what it has to offer. Hey, it’s not like cleaning out the catbox or picking up dog shit can’t be inspirational, but I doubt it compares to the great outdoors.
4. Exercise is tantamount to a healthy and creative frame of mind that beats writer’s block. You are designed by your very nature to walk, run, and exercise. The human body demands that you move through the three-dimensional space you are born into. You were not designed for immobility. You may think with your brain and write with your fingers but it’s your feet and legs that get your whole body moving. This is what gives the thinking brain and the creative mind the ability to beat writer’s block. Think about it. How else are you going to get oxygen flowing through your veins and arteries up to your brain? Without those euphoric endorphins rampaging through your brain, the writer’s block will persist along with the embedded depression.
5. Take a nice hot shower. There is nothing like that eureka moment you will experience as the hot water streams over your head and shoulders, and the blood gets more oxygen to your brain as your body temperature increases. Just make sure you have a pen and paper with you in the bathroom so you can write it down immediately.
6. Pay attention to your dreams — all of them; the good, the bad, the bizarre, and the ugly. The heightened alpha waves experienced during REM sleep have been well known in my life for creative problem-solving on multiple levels simultaneously. Once again, make sure you have a pen and paper with you on the night table to write down what is fresh in your mind before it fades away. Robin Williams was not bullshitting us when he did What Dreams May Come (1998), nor was William Hurt in Altered States (1980).
7. Meditate and calm your mind. Listen to the world around you. The planet, Mother Earth, Mother Nature, and the universe speak to us all the time. Whether or not we are listening is a different story altogether. Get rid of the noise, chaos, and manufactured drama in your life and silence your thoughts. As the great poet, Peter Crombie, once said, “I am least alone when left to myself.” Let’s not forget Whitney Houston’s famous quote, “I’d rather be alone than unhappy.”
8. Lastly, cleanse your body of processed contaminants, viruses, parasites, and general run-of-the-mill shit. I should have put this one first but when your mind is racing at 200 MPH, it’s a bit of a challenge to haggle with the sequence of suggestions. Juicing with fruits and vegetables is tantamount to accomplishing this. So is drinking a gallon of water every day. Aloe vera juice would be a significant addition to this along with key daily vitamins and supplements. For the more adventurous types, follow the strict water cleansing of your body for 72 hours before beginning your nutritional programs. Your body is your temple, and you cannot creatively defeat writer’s block if your mind is decaying from a toxic and poisoned temple. The water cleanse is a great place to begin the battle that will ultimately defeat the ginormous psychological monster known as writer’s block.

I truly hope that any or all of these key suggestions help each and every one of you in some way, shape, or form in your life as a writer. Please feel free to comment with feedback and further suggestions on the article. I look forward to reading them all.

About the author

Richard is the CEO of the Human Origins Foundation. As the author of a thought-provoking book series, he has a passion for the lost knowledge of our human origins throughout the cosmos, including extraterrestrial life, ancient astronauts, current affairs, and the human being’s place in the scheme of things. Stay up to date and be the first to know about his articles.

To contact Richard for interviews, speaking engagements, media appearances, consultations, brand partnerships, or sponsorship arrangements, please contact his publicist directly at:

Linda Smith
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Phone: 888.486.2667
Email: [email protected]

To share your ET and otherworldly encounters with Richard and Linda, email [email protected].

It’s Writer’s Block, Dagnabbit! was originally published in New Writers Welcome on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.