The Masks Of Writer’s Block

If you’ve ever tried to write anything more important than a random message to someone over the Internet, then you’ve likely encountered writer’s block. That odd, undefined mental event that keeps one from getting any workable ideas, or prevents you from making full use of a good concept. If you’ve ever tried your hand at writing a novel, chances are you’ve managed to get a good start or two, but something happened along the way. Chances are, you’re still telling yourself that you’ll get back to that piece and give it the proper narrative it deserves, even if you don’t even remember when you last opened that file. There’s a very good chance you might even feel a touch of anxiety in going back to it. The fact is, writer’s block is one of those undefinable states of mind that can kill even the best ideas.

The nature of writer’s block makes it difficult to pin down or describe. Some have pointed to performance anxiety as being a condition that writers commonly misconstrue as writer’s block. The inability to competently perform or write, as the case may be can often be interpreted as performance...