Amanda Gorman on How to Get Rid of Writer’s Block

Amanda Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in the history of the United States and the first-ever US Youth Poet Laureate. She arrived on the US’s national stage when she performed her poem “The Hill We Climb” at President Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20, 2021, in Washington, DC.

Raised in Los Angeles, California, Amanda started writing at five. Diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder at an early age, Amanda realized she could use poetry to overcome her speech impediment. At fourteen, she joined the Los Angeles–based creative writing nonprofit WriteGirl, where she learned to conduct close readings of poetry, workshop her own early poems, and develop the confidence to translate her voice to the page and project it publicly.

Writer’s block is a common phenomenon that writers experience when they feel stuck in the writing process; it can come as an overwhelming feeling that impedes them from moving forward and writing anything new. Writer’s block can come from an overarching problem—like struggling with plot or character—or something smaller, like failing to find the right words to describe a scene. While many different causes of writer’s block exist and overcoming this roadblock requires different solutions depending on the individual, many writers have recommendations and strategies to help you get over writer’s block and get back to work.

It’s completely normal to sometimes feel uninspired in your writing. “I'm published; I'm a spoken word artist, and I get writer's block all the time,” Amanda explains. Here are some of her tips to help you beat writer’s block and put words down on the page:

• Activate the right signals in your brain. Amanda says having several rituals around your writing time can help get your creative juices flowing. “Maybe there’s a set playlist you listen to when you’re writing. Maybe there’s a set location, a candle that you light when you’re writing. Maybe there’s a specific flavor of tea you’re drinking,” she says. If you create a ritual around your writing routine, your brain can more easily switch into writing mode.
• Commit to a writing practice. Amanda recommends sticking to a writing schedule that helps encourage you to do hard work. “The more that you can structure and carve out time in your life that's set and specific and guarded and safe where you can write, the less so you'll have writer’s block,” she says. “Start thinking about the time, the place, and the style in which you want to keep writing and revisiting this work. And try to do so every day for at least ten minutes.” Make your writing sessions regular as a way to commit to working hard for your project.
• Freewrite. Amanda says that sometimes, she just needs to sit at a blank page and use a writing exercise to begin a new project. “I just write the alphabet until something comes to my head,” she explains. “Or I’ll write the sounds or the noises I hear in the room. I’ll just write a stream of consciousness [section], and it’s my way of cluing my brain into the fact that it’s okay to fail here. It’s okay to try here. It’s okay to be messy right now because that mess is what's gonna get me writing.” Brainstorm a list of writing prompts that will help kickstart your brain whenever you feel a creative block.
• Go out. It may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes, sitting down at a blank page isn’t the best place to feel inspired. “Inspiration typically comes . . . when I’m living through the world as a human being,” Amanda explains, “which is why I say that procrastination and having time away from the page is really actually helpful as a writer.” If you’re feeling particularly stuck, take a break and find inspiration elsewhere before returning to your short story or poem.
• Release perfectionism. Amanda suggests you release perfectionism and embrace the creative process to get your first draft on the page. “One of the biggest things that leads to writer's block isn't actually not having anything to say; it’s being afraid to say it,” she says. “It means that, as we stare at that blank sheet, we're worried about whether what we have to say is anything of value, whether our voice, what we’re writing, is any good.” Let go of your fears and let the first draft of your writing project be rough.

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