“Do I have writer’s block”

What is writer’s block?

Writer's block is when you can't seem to put words on paper, no matter how hard you want it.

For some, their story logic is stuck. For others, their routine is too inconsistent to get their head in the right space. Some unlucky souls suffer from perfectionism and self-judgment.

Either way, it typically shows up as avoidance, endless tweaking, research spirals, seemingly wasted writing time, or scenes that feel off.

How to fix writer’s block

You need to put words on paper no matter the excuses your prefrontal cortex throws in your face.

Below are 2 excellent, hands-on drills we developed for the Writer’s Block Fixer tool.

Writer’s block Drill 1: Trash Draft Blitz

Kill perfectionism, over-editing, difficulties getting started, low energy, burnout, and tired imagination.

How-to:

Step 1: Crack your knuckles and get ready to intentionally write the worst trash of your life.

Step 2: Set a 20-minute timer and write in your current draft (or planning doc) with zero expectations of quality. Include cheesy metaphors, info dumps, adverbs, typos, exaggerated drama, shameless clichés. No editing, no thinking.

Step 3: When the timer’s up, highlight your writing in red and leave it in the draft until your next full rewrite.

Writer’s block Drill 2: The Tarantino Routine-o

This kickstarts your fingertips by evading the thinking typically required to start a writing session. And yes, Tarantino really does this.

Step 1: End a writing session (no matter the quality) with an intentionally unfinished task.

Step 2: Start your next writing session by finishing what you already know is coing.

Rinse and repeat steps 1 and 2.

That way, the next day starts off without friction. Your hand is aching to put down what you already know is coming.

Implement this into your general writing routine to see momentum pick up again.

Scope reduction

If your writing session feels heavy or taxing, you might be trying to solve too much at once. Cognitive overload is a real thing.

One single session is not meant to figure out act 2, perfect the dialogue, come up with the logline, and also solve how the detective finds the bloody knife in the wife’s underwear drawer.

Instead, reduce the scope of your session to only one identifiable objective. For example:

• Trim the kitchen scene

• Reduce melodrama in Mike and Sarah’s confrontation

• Give the Kung-fu sequence more surprise physical obstacles

Even smaller tasks work just as well. Make your goals embarrassingly small if you wish. Just make them fewer.

Attack your blockers on multiple fronts with this story toolkit

At FixWritersBlock.com we’ve developed (so far) 3 separate tools to help you.

1. Writer’s Block Fixer (the flagship product). Describe your writing struggles in detail, and the tool gives you laser-focused writing drills targeting your exact blockers. Easy, hands-on, fun, made for progress (not theory) and is cheaper than a sandwich. Works for developing character, dialogue, genre, plot, scene, world building, or writing routine.

2. FREE Genre identifier. Answer a couple of moderately easy questions and get a detailed analysis with recommended genre, plot mechanics, and reference movies. Takes about a minute and is guaranteed to steer you in the right direction.

3. FREE Logline generator. Great tool to kickstart your understanding of your own concept, which is surprisingly hard.

Combine all 3 for the best results.

What causes writer’s block?

Writer’s block rarely appears out of nowhere. In most cases, it’s the result of a few concrete breakdowns stacking on top of each other, often unnoticed until progress slows to a crawl. Below are the most common causes, all of which map directly to the patterns in the checklist above.

Unclear goals

When a protagonist isn’t actively pursuing something specific, the story has no direction. Scenes drift, stakes feel abstract, and writing becomes guesswork instead of cause and effect. This often shows up as “my scenes don’t make a plot” or “my protagonist doesn’t pursue a clear goal.”

Weak or passive opposition

A story needs resistance. If the antagonist exists only to be “bad,” or if no force is actively pushing back, the plot stalls. Writers often feel this as a sagging middle or a sense that nothing is really happening, even though scenes keep getting written.

Perfectionism loops

When nothing feels good enough, progress slows to a halt. This isn’t about high standards, but about delaying decisions until they feel safe. It commonly pairs with rewriting the same pages, hesitating to move forward, or feeling embarrassed to talk about the project.

Avoidance disguised as preparation

Research and world-building feel productive, but they can quietly replace writing when the story itself isn’t demanding answers. This shows up as endless notes, background detail turning into exposition, or research that never becomes pages.

Lack of momentum systems

Many blocks aren’t story problems at all, but routine problems. Starting sessions from zero every time creates friction that feels like resistance or lack of inspiration. This often appears as waiting to “feel ready” or believing inspiration needs to strike first.

Idea overload

Juggling too many projects at once weakens commitment to any single one. New ideas feel lighter because they haven’t pushed back yet, which makes the current project feel heavier by comparison. The result is daydreaming, restarting, and chronic dissatisfaction.

In isolation, any one of these issues is manageable. Writer’s block tends to set in when several are active at once. That’s why the checklist measures signals, not moods, and why small, targeted actions are usually enough to break the stall once you know what’s actually causing it.