Let’s start with a controversial statement. There is no such thing as writers block.
Now let’s talk about what writers block is supposed to be. A psychological inhibition preventing a writer from proceeding with a piece. Webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/writer%27s%20block
OK. MAYBE by that definition there is such a thing, but I am going to challenge it. “With a piece,” not writing in general.
Writing is not so precious a thing that we can be blocked. If someone said they were speaking blocked or thinking blocked or generally communication blocked we would usually find this to be a very strange state of affairs. Certainly there are clinical conditions that can lend itself to this, but the reality is that writing is just documentation of thought and speech.
If you were asked a question, and forced to answer you would say something. If you had to defend yourself verbally, however befuddled, you would stammer out some defense of yourself. Writing is the same way. Sit down, and type, or speak, and simply let words come out. They may not be the words you want. They may not be the words you need and may not be related to the piece you intended to write, but you can always write something. In that way I mean, there is no such thing as writers block.
Write about why you can’t write. Write about your day. Write about a different book. Write a letter to a friend. Write a blog. Write an outline to a new book. Write down fun first lines to a story. Write against a prompt from online.
Writing anything is better than nothing, because when we are not writing, we are not improving our craft. Treat your writing as a job. It may be a job you enjoy but a job nonetheless. Most of us work. Imagine if you told your current place of employment “I don’t have XYZ in me today I have engineering block, customer service block, IT block, masonry block, farming block…” We would do it anyway. It may not be your best piece of literature, but maybe it is. Sometimes great things come from positions in which we are forced.
This is not 1920, we can hit delete without killing a tree. What you intended to create will always be there waiting for you.
Great post!