12 Mar Fighting writer’s block

Writing on a regular basis is extremely challenging, more so, when writing is an integral part of your profession. As an academic, I am more or less expected to write regularly, given that scientific dissemination happens through published articles in journals and refereed conference papers. For good or bad reasons, publications are the currency by which an academic’s worth is largely measured. However, I must confess that getting hit with writer’s block is something I experience often. Here is an excellent article that identifies four main problems writers experience while providing strategies to overcome them.

Two important barriers to writing are (1) the assumption that better writing only happens during moments of inspiration, and (2) the assumption that you do not have much to write on a day-to-day basis. As Stephen King once said regarding writing, “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” The best thing one can do as a writer is develop the act of writing as a habit.  So, the key is to set a regular writing time everyday, have a roughly organized structure, and start writing. Another trap that I fall into is making writing a dual process by attempting to write and edit at the same time. This never usually works. My peers and some of my own experiences have taught me that getting the first draft completed and then editing it is a far more efficient process.

Good luck!

by: Naresh Vempala (Founder & Partner, Allegoro Communications)