Writer's block is a myth - Part 1
Addressing all that comes in the way of writing
When I started writing this newsletter, I didn’t imagine it would take the shape of a series. I had four broad points and a few sub-points I wanted to write about. As I began, I didn’t realize when I ended up writing the length of my average newsletter just in the first point itself. Perhaps there’s a lot I have to share on this topic—it’s too close to home.
My newsletter is one place where I do not hold back. Here, more than anywhere else, I like to write as it comes, no matter how long the piece. So, I’ve decided to break this topic, “Writer’s Block is a Myth,” into a four-part series. It might even extend beyond that, but I really hope it’s worthwhile. Like always, I’m open to feedback, reviews, and comments. Hope you enjoy this!
Before you accuse me of writing a clickbaity title, I promise that whatever I share here comes from my lived experience of writing every day for the past year. In the past few months, come hail or snow, I’ve written almost daily—Instagram captions, morning pages, stories about my life, and newsletters. Of course, there were days I couldn’t write, but I’d like to let go of those as days when I had zero time for myself.
Basically, whenever I sat down to write—whether I was in the mood or not—I always came up with something. Perhaps it touched a few hearts, perhaps many. But one thing is for sure: it touched mine every single time.
Last year, I read multiple books on creativity to revisit my relationship with writing and creating. If there’s one area full of false narratives—other than health and nutrition—it’s creativity. We’ve been told, and we believe:
Creativity comes from inspiration.
Creativity has to be ignited.
There are creative people and non-creative people.
Creative block is an actual state where people feel at a loss of creativity.
Creativity is innate and can’t be nurtured.
Only people in the arts are creative.
If I could go on, I’d fill a page with the misguided beliefs I held about creativity. I spent my school years thinking I was talentless. I spent the first half of my 20s believing I had some creativity, but only when I was travelling or in a "creative mood."
Now, I see myself as an unleashed beast whose only goal in life is to make everyone believe they are creative, can create, should create, and must create—not for anything else but for themselves. Yes, I’m speaking directly to you!
What’s romantically termed "writer’s block" or "creative block" is just a mindset block. If you allow me, I’d like to share how I see writer’s block beneath the many layers of noise and misconceptions.
A lot of what I share is drawn from my creative mentors—both in person and through books I’ve read.
I’d like to quote James Clear (author of Atomic Habits) here:
Anything wise in these words you should credit to the many experts who have guided me. Anything foolish, assume it is my error.
Writer’s Block is a Symptom, Not a Cause:
Discipline over inspiration: Inspiration, as beautiful as it is, can be one of the biggest blockers of creativity. The most common excuse for not creating has always been, “I don’t feel inspired.” I’m writing this at the risk of discrediting how you feel on some days, but trust me—it’s just a mental hurdle. Expecting yourself to feel inspired every time before creating is an unhealthy expectation. It’s like expecting yourself to be happy all the time.
During the pandemic, with no inspiration and nothing else to do, I created some of my finest work. I still crave that zone I was in, but am I going to wait until I feel exactly that?
No. I’d rather create 100 good pieces than create nothing while waiting for that one “perfect” piece.
In the realm of creativity, I’ve learned more from sportspersons than from other creatives. Athletes train daily for races they’ll run just a handful of times each year. On days you feel inspired, consider yourself lucky and sit down to work. But on other days, no matter what, you show up and create. In the long run, discipline will always beat inspiration.
Amateurs vs. professionals: As creatives, it’s hard for us to call ourselves creative people or artists, writers, etc. Even today, when people ask me what I do, I hesitate to tell them I am a full-time writer. It comes from my self-imposed belief of not feeling creative unless I have sold a million copies of my books or been awarded the Booker Prize. Unlike in other fields where a certain degree or course helps you become that identity (e.g., engineering degree holders are engineers, etc.), no degree, school, or certificate can make one feel like they are now an artist of any kind. This, I feel, is both part liberating and part restrictive. It’s liberating because I don’t have to do anything or become someone to be an artist. A child who likes to make cards for her mother is as much an artist as a professional painter; they’re just at different points in their journey. It’s restrictive because of the multitude of ideas that people have amassed about being an artist—the many, many ideas and layers of “Oh, but artists are like…”
In the past year, I have spent a lot of time with artists, and one thing I have learned is that no two artists are the same. Artists can be rich and poor, messy and orderly, kind and mean, and every other spectrum that applies to other “normal” humans.
A few days back, I ran into an athlete friend of mine who was going for a run wearing all his running gear. As I greeted him, he said something that really struck me: “Going for my 9-5, see you later!”
I kept thinking about it, and to this day, I still am. I loved how he viewed his work (running) from a professional lens. As creatives, we should all be creative professionals. It is romantic to want to sit by the riverside and write or be on a motorcycle trip—I have done all of that. But what you really need for creativity and art is professionalism, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to create, come what may.
Thank you for reading the first part. The next 3 parts talk about:
Overcoming the Block:
Start small, show up daily:
Rituals matter:
Detachment from results:
On Resistance (the real enemy):
Resistance is internal:
It’s universal:
Resistance feeds on fear:
On the Creative Journey:
Fear is a compass:
Resistance never goes away:
On Sunday, 26th Jan, at 12:30 PM IST, I am hosting a 90-minute workshop on Newsletter Writing.
In the past 10 months of writing my newsletter, I’ve realized what a powerful and intimate medium it is to write, create, form connections, and express yourself. Through this workshop, I want to share whatever little I know about writing newsletters and the platform Substack.
If this interests you, consider joining the facilitated space by Creative Writing Laboratory - Newsletter Writing 101
I am excited to see a few of you tomorrow!
PS: I have priced the call at 200. For any reason, if you’re unable to afford it, please write back to me and I will share the link with you for free no questions asked :)
I invite you to reflect and write on the following prompt:
Write about a belief you once held about creativity that you’ve since let go.
As a feature of all my newsletters, I share one song, one book, one plant-based meal, one film/video that inspired me, and some photographic updates from my life.
Song: I love “KK Songs Playing in Another Room and it's Raining” kind of playlist. You will find one of these for all your favourite artists. I listen to such playlists when I am cooking my meals. Hope you enjoy listening to it.
Book/Newsletter: I am not a fan of self-help productivity kind of books. I hate how the entire literary industry is run by them but one particular that I really enjoy and keep coming back to is Atomic Habits. I have been diving deep into habits and productivity lately and I am reading this one not as any other book this time but as seriously as coursework.
Meal: Photos from the cafe where I sat yesterday to write this newsletter
Film/Video: Loved Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche’s talk on Meditation and Humour! He is the coolest monk I know. His book, In Love with the World, changed my life!
Photograph(s): Sunset from my terrace few days back
You had me at “Discipline over inspiration”. Looking back on my journey, the credit for most of my success stories goes to my sincerity and integrity, and the reason for most failures was a lack of discipline while waiting for inspiration! 🥹
I have just started following you & I enjoy your direct lucid and simple writing style. It almost feels as though we are sitting in a cafe chatting. I just finished reading the post on writer's block. I have a slightly different view from yours. I have been writing for many many years. I wrote for companies & publications for almost two decades and now for the past decade I have writing fiction.So, you can say that I have been a professional writer for almost 30 years. All of last year, 2024, I couldn't write. Yes, I wrote instagram posts, linkedin posts but I couldn't work on my novel 5. It was a bad, anxious phase for me because I felt that words were leaving me. The thing that I loved the most had gone and I didn't know what to do. but as the year turned, starting Jan 2025, my writing mojo is back. Yes, showing up is important but sometimes you just to step back. fill the void with other things. other non-writing things. allow the creative space to recoup. creative energy is not limitless. you need to allow the empty cup to fill before you can start sipping from it again. Just my thoughts. I look forward to reading more from your pen.