Why you’re lost for words: 6 reasons for writer's block

The term “writer’s block” gets thrown around a lot within the copywriting community. And despite it being pigeonholed as a problem that exists only for bloggers and literary bods, it isn't exclusive to writers.

Writer’s block can affect anyone who puts words on a page (or screen).

It can hit you when composing an email, drafting a social media caption, even when sending a WhatsApp to a friend.

Sometimes you just can’t find the right words to communicate, and that can be incredibly frustrating.

So, what causes it?

The thing or things that cause writer’s block aren’t the same for everyone.

You might be weighed down by the pressure of a deadline, experiencing general anxiety, suffering from a lack of motivation… it could be absolutely anything.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the time to run through every possible reason for writer’s block in this blog post. (Let’s face it, we’d be here all day.) But, what I can do, is cover some of the usual suspects and toss you a few lifelines to get you writing again.

Here are 6 issues to tackle now:

1. Not caring for your brain and body

Feeling tired, hungry, anxious, or stressed?

If you feel rubbish when you sit down to write something, it's going to hold you back.

Physical and mental discomfort is not only distracting, but it also affects your enjoyment. And if you don’t enjoy the process of writing, it’s far more likely to show in the final result.

Of course, some things are easier to fix than others. If you’re feeling peckish or mildly irked when you set out to write, you can grab a bite to eat or take a few moments to unwind/yell things in an isolated toilet cubicle.

But if you’ve spent the night tossing and turning, or you're grappling with bigger anxieties, a quick fix isn't always an option.

Your well-being affects more than just your ability to craft witty captions. So if you know that you haven’t been sleeping properly or that there are unresolved issues affecting your ability to focus, it’s important to do something about it.

Turning your attention towards underlying sources of stress, improving your sleep habits, or seeking support for deeper anxieties can have a powerful ripple effect. When you address these issues, writer's block will be much less likely to rear its ugly head.

2. Fixating on the deadline

Deadlines can create a feeling of pressure.

If focusing on that pressure motivates you or helps you to feel like some kind of deadline-destroying daredevil — great!

But, if it has the total opposite effect, and you find the pressure unbearable, the more you fixate on it, the less you’ll achieve.

If you have a looming deadline - whether it’s at the end of the day, week, or month - allow yourself just 30 minutes to not think about it. If you have to, imagine that the deadline doesn't exist.

Remember, your primary goal is to start writing. Taking action and getting those first words down, without obsessing over the deadline, will bring you much closer to meeting it.

3. Striving for perfection

There’s a difference between wanting to write well and striving for perfection. The reality is, you aren’t always going to write a perfect first draft, and that's okay!

If you try to make every word or section perfect straight away, it'll slow you right down. And before you know it, you'll be back in that frustrating loop of fretting over the deadline again.

The beauty of writing in the digital age is that you have the freedom to go back and edit everything later. So, when you start the writing process, try to let go of the pressure to be perfect and allow yourself to just write. This will allow your ideas to flow freely and prevent you from losing direction.

When you’ve said all that you need to say – even if it needs a bit of tidying up –  you can go back in and refine it. By doing this, you’ll make much more progress than you ever would have if you’d tried to polish every word along the way.

4. Not giving yourself time to think

Responding to an important email from a client? Writing a blog to win over your readers?

Think about what you want to say first.

Having a rough mental idea or even a few quick notes jotted down makes all the difference. 

For a blog, that might mean spending time researching or outlining your main points. If it’s an email, think about the core message and what the other person needs to understand.

If you dive in without a plan, you risk rambling, missing critical information, or leaving the reader confused.

With a plan, you avoid all of these things while removing the stress of having to “think and write” simultaneously.

5. Being afraid to start over

Still fiddling with that “impossible-to-finish” paragraph?

Quite often, letting go and starting over is the key to creating your best work.

Hitting a wall doesn't mean you've failed. It's usually a sign to try a new path. As Einstein famously once said, doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results makes you…well… a bit loopy.

Instead of beating yourself up because you can’t complete a sentence, embrace the opportunity to explore new angles. 

Think about how someone with a completely different perspective might tackle the idea. Change the question you're trying to answer. Picture it visually.

This shift in perspective isn’t just helpful for overcoming writer's block, it can also lead to breakthroughs you might never have reached otherwise. So give yourself permission to start fresh. You might be amazed at where it takes you!

6. Forgetting to ask for advice or feedback

Finally, get out of your own head.

Get out. Get out! GET OUT!

Reaching out to others can be incredibly valuable.

9 times out of 10 people are happy to lend a hand or offer advice, even if they’re just a sounding board to help you untangle your jumbled thoughts.

Sometimes hearing things out loud and explaining them to another person helps you to notice when you’re overthinking things.

This kind of outside validation and support can completely change how you feel about your writing. It eases the pressure, frees up your mind, and lets you move forward with renewed clarity. Try it!

Still can’t banish the block?

If you're still feeling completely stuck, and the friend you've vented to sadly hasn't already offered to write that email/proposal/blog for you, you do have another option.

Ahem.

Err. Yep.

It's me!

Over the years, I've helped clients to write compelling blog posts, family members to craft heartfelt wedding speeches, and friends to find the perfect "I'm sorry" words.

And while I don't openly advertise ALL of the above (please don’t ask me to write your divorce statement), I do offer copy and content writing services for people just like you. 

So, if you want to find the right words for your business, get in touch.

I'd love to hear from you.