Why We Call It Writer’s Block (When It’s Usually Fear)
Most creative blocks aren’t about writing — they’re about fear. In a world full of information, what we lack is the courage to act on it. Here’s how to move past the myths of writer’s block and start creating again.
There’s a certain drama to the phrase writer’s block. It sounds like an external villain — a mysterious fog that descends and steals our words. It lets us sigh, pour another coffee, and tell ourselves that inspiration will come “when it’s ready.”
But if you’ve been staring at the blinking cursor long enough, you already know the truth: most creative blocks aren’t about writing. They’re about fear
Fear wears many clever disguises
Fear rarely introduces itself directly. It dresses up as procrastination (“I’ll start after I clean my desk”), perfectionism (“the outline isn’t ready yet”), or research (“I just need to read three more books about this”). These are all elegant ways of saying: I’m afraid of what might happen if I actually begin.
Because starting means committing. It means putting your ideas — and by extension, yourself — somewhere visible. And visibility feels risky.
You don’t need more information — you need permission
In The Anatomy of Creative Blocks, I wrote that we live in the most connected, over-informed era in history. You can Google any question, watch a tutorial on anything, or download five guides on “how to write your novel.”
We don’t lack information. We lack the courage to act on it.
Creativity, in the end, isn’t a knowledge problem — it’s a nerve problem. The real work is learning to move even when your confidence hasn’t caught up yet.
The cure for fear is movement (not motivation)
Waiting for inspiration to strike is like waiting for courage to feel convenient. It never does. Momentum is what generates it.
Start small. Write one messy paragraph. Outline one stubborn chapter. Allow the words to be imperfect and your process to be unglamorous.
Fear doesn’t disappear when you start writing — it just loses the microphone.
A truth worth remembering
Writer’s block sounds noble. Fear sounds human. But every time you face the page anyway, you turn that fear into proof of courage.
So maybe it’s time to rename the block. It’s not resistance. It’s readiness in disguise.
Creativity begins the moment we stop waiting for permission.— Andreea Halikias
