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Writer’s block is a huge problem, even for professionals. But as a writer, you might be tempted to call it writer’s block even when it isn’t. Blocks happen when you just can’t find the perfect words or you’re feeling a little distracted from your work. But sometimes the problem is a lot deeper than that, and it requires a specific fix.

I’m writing this blog post this morning instead of writing my book, so trust me, I know where you’re coming from. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve let months go by without typing a word and it’s a terrible feeling. But if you’re struggling with it right now, there are things you can do to break through that wall.

Like me, you may be distracted by everything else you have to get done. Or you might be feeling off about your story and you’re not sure where to go. Even if you’re not a writer, this advice can help with your struggle.

You Need to Revisit Your Outline

If you feel like you’re banging your head against the wall when it comes to your book, there’s a good chance something in your story is broken. There have been many times when I wanted to write, but the words wouldn’t come. And it was bigger than writer’s block. I would stare at my screen for hours trying to figure out what to write next and it was like the writing gods had stayed my hand.

Almost every time this has happened to me, it turned out to be my own brain warning me that my story wasn’t right. Something about my plot was broken and I needed to fix it before I could keep writing.

Take a look at your outline

If you don’t have an outline, there’s your first mistake. Write one.

If you do have one, read through the whole thing. And don’t forget to make sure it lines up with the three-act structure. If it’s just writer’s block, you’ll probably feel a renewed connection to your plot and be able to continue. And if it’s something bigger, you’ll feel that warning in the back of your brain telling you that something needs to be adjusted.

In my case, it hardly ever comes as a spark of intuition where I know immediately what the problem is and how to fix it. It’s just a nagging feeling that won’t go away until I do. The bigger problem is, the longer you sit with something like this the more exhausted your mind is. You need a new stimulus to keep working on it and you won’t find it alone in your bedroom.

Talk your story through with someone else

When you run into a problem but you can’t see what it is, the best thing to do is to get input. Choose your advisors carefully, lest they lead you astray, but find someone you can bounce ideas off of. Often times you just need to talk through your problem to work it out. They’ll offer you advice, which you don’t have to take, but even that will help get your mind working on the problem again instead of drowning in the feeling of being overwhelmed.

Don’t force it, and take a break from your book if you have to. Unlike day-to-day writer’s block, these big issues can’t be fixed simply by working harder. Take a break and give your brain a chance to think about something else. Go experience the world around you and the chances are your solution will come when you least expect it (because you’ve finally given your brain the break it needs).

You Feel Pressured to Put it Off

There’s a lot going on in the world right now. People are working more hours than is strictly necessary and you have obligations, whether it’s just you or you’re supporting a family. With everything going on there’s a lot of pressure, both internal and external, to put off your writing.

I get it. I’ve been there. In fact, I’m there right now. But you need to take your writing seriously because it’s important to you. If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t bother, because writing is seriously hard work. Don’t let your obligations take your writing away. Find a little time here and there to work on it, even if you can only manage an hour here and there.

Make a Schedule

If your obligations include other people, you need to set time for your writing and make sure the people in your life respect that boundary. Parents should give their kids some alone time (provided they’re old enough, of course) and let the kids know that mommy or daddy is working. It’s not neglectful to take time for yourself. And if you schedule your at-home time to include some me-time, you’ll still be able to fit in time to spend with your children. It’s all about balance.

Make sure you stand up for your time as well. Emergencies happen and sometimes you have to take care of your obligations before you can take that time to write. But do your best to make that time a priority and don’t be a pushover when others try to infringe on it.

The hard truth

Sometimes it’s a matter of standing up for yourself, even with the people you love. No matter how hard they try to be supportive, your loved ones will go through stages with your writing. The longer it takes you to finish, the harder it will be for them to wait. Give them a little grace when they get impatient, but don’t let it keep you from writing. Remind them that this is your passion and that it’s part of your work (yes, writing is a job), and you need time to focus on it.

In the worst case scenario, you might have to take a break from toxic relationships. If you find your friends are entirely unsupportive of your dreams, they’re not the friends you want to keep around. Be willing to distance yourself from negative influences.

You’re Afraid of Your Own Success

It sounds crazy, but it’s more common than you’d think, especially among writers. As introverts, writers tend to overanalyze everything. It can be a good trait to have, but it can also leave you crippled when you imagine what will happen if you do finish your manuscript. You spend so much time stressing over the next steps that you can’t bring yourself to finish the ones you’re on.

What you have to determine is where that fear is coming from. You might think it’s your fear of failure that keeps you from finishing your manuscript, but I suspect that you’re dealing with the opposite problem in large quantities. I’m not saying the fear of failure doesn’t apply, but it’s not the whole picture.

You’re afraid to let go

No one wants to put their soul into the world and have it rejected. But it goes deeper than that. You aren’t just afraid that you won’t get published. You’re afraid of what will happen if you do.

Seeing readers fall in love with your story is the dream, isn’t it? Why would anyone be afraid to achieve their dream?

I’ll tell you why: because if you finish your book, it will be over.

Sometimes you’re so in love with your characters or your world or your plot that you can’t imagine what you’d do without them. It’s scary to think of leaving it behind because you know as a perfectionist (and don’t even try to tell me you’re not one) your book will never truly be finished. You could spend a lifetime tweaking and improving it, but you have to let that impulse go.

Good things end so better things can fall into place. And you’re not writing your book for you, you’re writing it for readers. So as scary as it is to move on and leave one story behind, you have to learn that the life of a writer is one of loss. Eventually, you’ll have to close chapters so you can write new ones.

Keep Writing, But Don’t be Ignorant

Whatever the reason for your writer’s block, it can be very unhelpful to “just keep working.” You need to take a moment to analyze yourself and determine why you can’t seem to write so you can pick the right actions to solve it. When your story is broken, no amount of forced word count will fix it. Look at your story and learn to play doctor with yourself and your work. Ask yourself what’s really holding you back and you’ll have a much better time working through it.

Take a deep breath, accept your mortality, and finish your book. Let me know in the comments if this advice helped you, or if you have any more advice to share. Writers need support! And don’t forget to follow this blog right now for more helpful tips to keep you writing in the future.