Rameesha Rants

writer's block

a

genda:

in this chapter, we'll be discussing why i haven't been updating for the past few months, writer's block and how to beat the shit out of it because there's absolutely nothing we hate more.

discussion:

first of all, (i know i'm late to this but) ramadan mubarak. may this one bring you all the light you need in your this life and the next!

so, to begin with, you ask, why are you not updating, ree? it's been literally months and the answer is as simple as it gets – i haven't written anything. not a single word was typed, written or edited in these past few months.

why, you ask.

writer's block, i say.

alright, so writer's block is one shitty thing and i think we can all agree to that. the feeling of the words stuck in your head and not getting out, the stress and depression that comes with it – man, it's stressful. and it's the sole reason i haven't been updating – not because i didn't know what to write but i just didn't know how. all my chapters (and the ending dandana!!) are planed but i didn't know how to let them out and make them work.

and secondly, as i explained earlier, i didn't want my readers to just hang in the middle of nowhere, waiting for each chapter before finally deciding it isn't worth it. so i decided to resume my updates only when i've complete the whole thing (honestly, it is what i should have done from the start).

but, well, it's not too late.

advice:

now, how to crush this writer's block. i'm no master at it because, well, i got out of it just recently after months but a girl does have some advice up her sleeves and is going to spill it here.

‣ read

the easiest and the most effective way that i've found over the years is to read. read whatever you get your hands on – it doesn't have to be fancy or even good. it just needs to be something you truly enjoy.

reading the same genre as your novel is of great help as well because, by doing so, ideas run through your head of all the different things you can do to your novel and well, isn't that all we need? a small motivation.

‣ find the cause

find out what's causing the writer's block – either you're stuck somewhere in your story, you've hit a dead end in terms of plot or you're just procrastinating. and then, accordingly, find a solution.

if you've hit a dead end, try going back a little and changing the story line a bit, try to find some new scenes that excite you and make you want to write them.

and if you're just procrastinating, well, start with small words and paragraphs until you can break the barrier.

‣ research

if you're not writing anything, you might as well plan your future story until the block ends. it's helpful (much more than i like to think) and you're not basically wasting your time. and in my case, research, planning, mapping out chapters, thinking out small scenes – they actually help me overcome my block.

‣ boost your confidence

one other reason why people suffer from the block is when they think they aren't good enough and the easiest way to help with it is to go back to comments or messages people have left you to say how good your story is or how they're waiting for the updates. it helped me so much, i can't even begin to tell you.

‣ covers and aesthetics

alright, so i don't know about you guys but making covers and aesthetics helped me a lot. they remind you of the story, of how passionate you once were to complete it and make you want to go back to old days.

it really helps.

‣ don't stress

just don't stress, man. every writer has gone through it at one point of their life, some more than one (looking at myself) and there's nothing to worry. just relax and chill until the words come back.

your stress is only going to make them go away.

conclusion:

at the end, just keep trying to come back to the things you actually love doing and remember that all good things to those who wait.