36 Flavours of Writer's Block

Wonky doodles that expose creative resistance

I know of many genuine reasons why people are not able to write — financial stress, an all-consuming job, illness, fatigue, grief, lack of a community, and so on.

But sometimes, it’s just fear. Fear wearing different costumes. The fear I feel about being seen, about participating fully in the writing life, comes in various flavours. Until I taste these flavours of fear, I find it hard to taste courage.

Here are 36 flavours of what we call ‘Writer’s Block’ —

1. the [classic I shall write when I have uninterrupted time and overwhelming inspiration] block

2. the [nobody is interested in my life, especially not me] block

3. the [I’m so used to scrolling down loud pages that a blank one spooks me] block

   

4. the [I’m too late to this party] block

5. the [by now I should’ve authored 4 books already] block

6. the [let me do extra work for my job so that I can complain about how I don’t have the time to write] block

7. the [I don’t read 8 books a week so how can I be a writer] block

   

8. the [I’ll never be as glamorous as the internationally published Indian writer I see on my Instagram] block

9. the [I’ll tell all my story ideas to my friends over the phone and never develop them] block

10. the [I compulsively edit while drafting and make the writing process ever so painful] block

    

11. the [my writing doesn’t flow naturally so it’s not meant to be] block

12. the [world is ending so how can I sit and write] block

13. the [that perfect idea in my head is better than the messy draft I’ll have to write if I take it seriously] block

14. the [I want to write something so original that no human, dead or alive, would have thought of it] block

    

15. the [if only I was single I would have more time to write] block

16. the [if only I was married I would have more stability to write] block

17. the [I’m ashamed to look like an amateur blogger when I identify myself with Pulitzer Prize winners] block

18. the [let me quickly check with my parents/colleagues/students if they need me for anything before I start writing] block

19. the [I've to read 99 books on writing well before I write my book] block

20. the [I’ve not forgiven myself yet for not writing the last month, so I won’t write for another month] block

21. the [I opened too many tabs to research this topic and now I can’t focus] block

22. the [I wish I had cool artist friends who would encourage me and give me shoulder massages as I write] block

23. the [only if I get an MFA in writing under the hot poet professor I stalk on twitter will I ever be a true poet] block

24. the [I want my next piece to be liked by my parents, mentors, therapists, neighbours, comrades, and random strangers on the internet at the same time] block

25. the [nobody can criticise a perfectly blank page so I will keep it that way] block

26. the [I will replay that one negative comment over and over again in my mind] block

27. the [fancy editors of literary magazines will never like my work I promise] block

28. the [my mother will find out I’ve been a bad girl if I start writing online] block

29. the [my father taught me to think big so I’ll directly plan an ambitious book instead] block

30. the [hey! I had that idea before! everyone steals my ideas] block

31. the [because I can’t write a bestselling novel, I won’t even write a letter to a friend] block

32. the [I wanna try writing short stories but that’s my friend Anjali’s thing how can I steal it] block

33. the [I’m jealous of writers from bigger cities or developed countries] block

34. the [nobody is on substack who will read me?] block

35. the [everybody is on substack who will read me?] block

36. the [I’m actually scared writing will feel so good that I’ll have to make more space for it] block

---

Friends, I made these doodles and lists two Diwalis ago. But every time I see how adorable and yet how inaccurate my fears are, I can renew my commitment to writing.

You tell me which ones feel relatable. And your own original blocks are welcome too.

---