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Sarai Sepulveda

Professor McCann

English 1301.127

07 September 2021

The Great Writing Battle

When faced with the burden of not knowing what to write, a division forms amongst the

people who are trying to fight this same battle: those who choose to come back later and those

who characterize it as writer’s block and refuse to leave their seat. No feeling will ever be as

infuriating as the feeling that comes with being diagnosed with a bad case of writer’s block. As

your fingers graze the edge of the scissors that can set you free from the bandana that is choking

you back from saying anything, the mind reels as to how it got in this position in the first place.

Flashes of a time when you were confined to writing in your “teacher’s way” swim in and out of

your head as you realize that you did not bring this about yourself. Writer’s block often stems

from other issues that writers have acquired throughout their learning career; fortunately, they

can be relieved through correct instruction and helpful practices. 

To overcome writer’s block, there are two main practices that one can use in an attempt

to rid themselves of their temporary writing stunt. The first is to answer questions that will

“induce the student to generate facts, concrete details, examples and illustrations, causes,

comparisons, and so forth, that are germane to the topic under consideration” (Oliver 166). When

caught up in the entanglements of writer’s block, it is easy to lose sight of whether one is on the

right track to get ideas flowing. The thoughts and questions that whirl around in our heads have

been tainted by our concept writer’s block that even if we answer them, they will get us nowhere.

By asking the right and precise questions, the deepest parts of our brains will be probed and
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forced to generate answers that will open up the floodgates of words and sentences. The second

technique is called “freewriting”, this is a process in which one writes non-stop on their topic

(Oliver 166). It does not matter if one writes unconventional academic language such as “you

know”, “um”, or “idk”, the act of simply writing is enough to get the mind started up and ready

for takeoff. Of course, what is written during this “freewrite” will not amount to an actual draft,

rather the raw sentences will aid in formulating ideas that can eventually form a full draft. As

Oliver mentions, these strategies are not the cure for writer’s block. However, when combined

with one's own personal efforts, the chances of recovery increase up to 99%. Taking the time to

practice either of the techniques along with self-determination is bound to overcome writer’s

block.

Furthermore, the people who are often plagued with writer’s block are those who did not

receive proper instruction during a crucial learning period of their life. Because of this, many

writers feel the need to stick to those old-school rules of constantly checking their grammar and

forming an outline to make sure their writing is organized. These confinements are what hold

writers back in the future, for it is difficult to let go of these unnecessary practices. Along with

those who did receive decent writing instruction earlier in their lives, when writer’s block comes,

where shall they seek help? For one, your current instructor can be of great help in relieving your

writer’s block by setting time aside to practice the previously mentioned techniques of

“freewriting” and answering thought-provoking questions. Accomplishing this as a class will

create a set of students who are prepared to write to the best of their abilities. These strategies

could take time away from more important things in the lesson, so an alternative would be to

meet with the instructor and get one-on-one advice. Often, all we need is that push from someone

else to get started. Personally, I know that these techniques would help me greatly if I am ever
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having writer’s block. As a perfectionist, I also know that the reason behind my writer’s block is

due to wanting the words to come out the right way immediately. No sentence that is “half-

decent” will ever see the light of day on my paper because if it does not meet my standards, it is

a waste of ink. On the bright side, writer’s block can be seen as a chain around good ideas that

we do not have the key to. But when we finally find the key, we are gifted with all the held-back

progress that is now ready to take action.

In conclusion, writer’s block can be very distinct from writer to writer. Luckily, the forms

of solving this are almost entirely the same. As individuals, we cannot always get the full picture

of our problem, but when provided with proper guidance and instruction the picture will

ultimately become clearer. Writer’s block is an inevitable condition, but it is part of our

academic journey and will help refine our writing skills every time we meet it. The scissors are a

lot closer than you think.

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Work Cited
Oliver, Lawrence J. “Helping Students Overcome Writer's Block.” Journal of Reading, vol. 26,

no. 2, 1982, pp. 162–168. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40029248. Accessed 8 Sept.

2021.