Wanting to write but feeling uninspired is the worst.
You want to finish the chapter you’re working on. You want to get to a certain scene. Maybe you’re even about to write that scene you’ve been itching to write since you started this thing but it’s like there’s a five-foot-thick wall between you and your inspiration.
Pretty much everyone gets writer’s block sometimes, but as a neurodivergent person I feel like it’s more common. More often than I would like, my executive function just… disappears. Executive function is the part of your brain that helps you start tasks (among other things) and if you have ADHD and some other types of neurodivergence it glitches. Asking your brain to start a task is like asking a teenager to clean their room – even when it’s a task you need or even want to do.
There isn’t any set way to get around this – different things will work for different people. Sometimes you just have to accept that you’re not going to get any writing done today. I get it, it’s frustrating as all get out, but be compassionate with yourself. If you keep trying to force yourself to work on your novel then you’re going to start resenting your book’s very existence and that’s not going to make things easier for anyone.
Instead, see if there’s a way that you can work on your book without writing. It’s so important to remember is that writing a novel is about more than just the act of writing. Give yourself permission to explore other ways to be creative – sometimes you can’t smash through writer’s block, but you can sneak past it.
You’ll be pleased to know that daydreaming is a totally valid part of the process. Picturing scenes in your mind can help you see why something isn’t working and undo those knots that you’ve been struggling with. This is something I do when I’m in bed before I fall asleep, and it can be SO helpful! So many times I’ve come up with a great idea – though if you have memory problems you might want to make a note on your phone or in a notebook. There’s nothing worse than remembering that you had a great idea, but can’t remember what the idea was.
Try talking to yourself. Yes, seriously. I do this all the time. Reading bits of dialogue, acting out the parts of the different characters to get to know how they speak, how they interact. It’s fun – which is an important thing to remember if you’re struggling with writer’s block. Yes, writing can be fun! This is a great way to nail your character voices. Your characters shouldn’t all sound the same, just as your friends or co-workers have different ways of talking. The more familiar you are with how your characters sound and the kinds of things they would say (and what they would keep to themselves), the easier it will be to write them.
While we’re on the subject of talking to yourself, if you’re struggling with a particular chapter or scene, try reading your writing aloud to see if there are bits you stumble over, or maybe reading the dialogue might make you realise that it doesn’t sound right for the character. Reading aloud rather than just silently reading it can really help you figure out what isn’t working.
And then there are writing exercises. These come in all shapes and forms, from journalling prompts to spontaneous writing to writing about your writing. You can see some ideas on my Instagram, or have a look at my writing exercise workbook. The good thing about these is that when you’re feeling utterly uninspired, when your brain isn’t even up for daydreaming, this gives you a bit of structure to help you focus in on something. Sometimes writing exercises work as a warm-up routine and get you in the mood for writing. Sometimes they’re just there to help you work on your novel a bit in a structured, no-pressure way.
These are just some ideas to help you feel creative and productive when your muse is refusing to play. What do you do when writer’s block strikes?