Overcome writer's block by setting boundaries

Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash

Your writer’s block may actually be caused by a lack of boundaries. Before you rearrange your whole life to make more time, take a look at your boundaries and how they might be the real solution to your writing struggle.

It’s tempting to blame everyone and everything around you. Your family won’t leave you alone. Your colleague is on vacation and your work has increased. Your boss is demanding. Your friends are always making plans with you. Your garbage disposal needs to be fixed.

Sure, we all know that those things can get in the way.

But the real problem isn’t that people are breaking your boundaries, it’s that you probably haven’t actually set any boundaries.

Know Your Own Boundaries

You can't expect other people to respect boundaries you haven't even defined for yourself. You cannot expect other people to read your mind.

If you’re unsure about when you’re writing or why it matters, it’s no wonder that others don’t understand. When you’re clear with yourself, it becomes a lot easier to be clear with others. Then, you can take actions that show others your boundaries without having to constantly explain or defend them.

Before getting frustrated with others or feeling as if you’ll never be able to protect your writing time, ask yourself:

• What do I actually need in order to write? (Ex: uninterrupted time, quiet space)

• When do I need to set aside time for it?

• Why is this important to me?

Show Your Boundaries with your Actions

A lot of people think that setting boundaries means sitting everyone down and having a long conversation. While sometimes that can be helpful, it is often not necessary.

Boundaries are not just something you say. They are something you live.

When you believe that your writing time matters, you naturally start acting like it matters.
That might look like:

• Closing your door when it is time to write.

• Turning your phone off so you are not interrupted.

• Saying “no” to activities that conflict with your writing schedule, without feeling guilty about it.

Setting boundaries is more about what you do than what you say. Your actions will communicate your priorities far louder than your words alone.

If you treat your writing time like it’s important, people will believe that it’s important.

Who’s Really Holding You Back?

If someone keeps telling you that you cannot write a book, or that it is not realistic, you have a choice to make. You get to decide whether you are available for that kind of opinion. You do not have to argue or explain yourself. You can simply keep moving forward.

Maybe it’s not other people holding you back. Maybe it’s you. Maybe you’re afraid that if you start, you might fail.

Or maybe you’re afraid you’ll succeed, and everything in your life will change. Or maybe you don’t fully believe you deserve time to work on your dream.

Whatever it is, the only way to move forward is to be honest with yourself.

If your schedule is so packed that you cannot find any time to write, ask yourself:

• Are you setting boundaries with your people, or are you always available for their needs first? Or are you afraid to say no?

• Are you setting boundaries with your own distractions?

• Are you setting boundaries with yourself and your own habits?

Self-awareness is powerful. Now that you understand yourself better, you can take action to set and protect your boundaries.

Protect Your Boundaries

Nobody is going to carve out the time and space for you to write your book. That’s your responsibility.

If you are waiting for someone to give you permission, you could be left with an unfinished book and dream forever.

You have to decide that your dream matters enough to protect it and you have to make space for it. Then, keep making space for it each day.

If you haven’t been setting and enforcing your standards, it’s not too late to start. You have the power to set new standards. Once you start acting like your writing matters, the people around you will start treating it that way too.

Transform into a writer by shifting your identity

Photo by Hannah Olinger on Unsplash

So, you want to be a writer.

Maybe you’ve wanted to for a while, but every time you sit down to write, something gets in the way. Doubt creeps in. Perfectionism shows up. Or maybe you just feel overwhelmed by where to start.

You’re not alone. And here’s the truth: becoming a writer isn’t just about writing more. It’s about becoming the kind of person who writes. That means shifting your identity and your perception of yourself, and letting that new version of you lead the way.

We usually think we need to do a thing (write a lot) to become the thing (a writer). But what if it works better the other way around?

What if you started thinking and acting like a writer now, even if you're still figuring it out?

When you identify as a writer, even before the evidence stacks up, you begin to make decisions from a place filled with purpose, focus, and self-trust.

Start with Small, Aligned Actions

You don’t have to write a novel this month. You don’t even have to write a full page today.

Instead, take small, aligned actions, which are things the "writer version" of you would do:

• Jot down an idea in your notes app

• Write the outline for your book

• Define one character of your story

• Block out 15 minutes to write freestyle

• Read one article on storytelling techniques

• Tell a friend about the piece you're working on

Each tiny step is like casting a vote for your new identity. And with every vote, you reinforce the belief: “I am a writer.”

The Ripple Effect: Self-Fulfilling Prophecy in Action

When you take even the smallest action, your brain begins to shift. You start to gather evidence that you are the person you're becoming.

This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. You act like a writer. So, you feel like a writer. Then you act more like a writer. It’s a powerful loop, and it starts with one small step.

Think Compound Effect, Not Overnight Success

Ever heard of compound interest? It’s the idea that small investments grow exponentially over time.

Writing works the same way.

You write a sentence. Then a paragraph. Then a page. At first, it feels like nothing. But over weeks or months, those little efforts add up. One day, you look back and realize: you’ve become the writer you used to dream of being.

And you didn’t need to hustle or suffer or change your entire life. You just needed to show up consistently, not perfectly.

Who Are You Becoming?

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Every time you sit down to write (even for five minutes), you’re not just creating a piece of work. You’re creating yourself.

You’re becoming a writer.

So next time you’re stuck, don’t ask, “What should I do?”

Ask: “What would the writer version of me do?”

Then, just do it.

Struggling to become a writer? Maybe you haven't DECIDED yet.

Photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash

If you’re having a hard time starting or finishing your book, the first step isn’t finding the right writing software, carving out more time, or learning better productivity hacks. The first step is DECIDING.

You have to decide.

I spent years saying I wanted to write a book. I had notebooks full of ideas and half-written chapters on my laptop. But I hadn’t actually decided to be a writer. I was playing with the idea of writing. I was wishing. Daydreaming. Fantasizing about that author life. Dipping my toe in the pool while telling myself I’d dive in when I had more time.

Guess what? That book didn’t write itself.

And deep down, I didn’t believe I was really allowed to be a writer. I thought I had to earn it. I told people I wanted to write, but then I’d downplay it, laugh it off, or not bring it up at all. If someone asked how it was going, I’d say, “Oh, I’ve been so busy,” or “I’m still brainstorming.” Translation: I hadn’t truly decided yet.

As with anything you do in life, your mindset and energy matter. When you approach writing from a place of desperation such as needing the book to prove your worth or save you, you bring the wrong energy. You’re asking your creativity to solve all your problems instead of letting it flow from a grounded, confident place.

For the words to start flowing, you first have to make an internal shift, not just in your conscious mind, but in your identity. You have to become the version of you who writes. Who finishes. Who is a writer.

A lot of people mistake wishing for deciding.

There’s a big difference between wanting to be a writer and deciding that you are one. Wanting keeps your dream floating somewhere in the fantasy realm, where it is alluring but always just out of reach.

Deciding brings it down to earth. It becomes real and tangible.

When you truly decide, everything that doesn’t align with your decision becomes irrelevant. You stop entertaining excuses like “I don’t have time,” “I’m not inspired,” or “Maybe I’m not cut out for this.” Your writer’s block diminishes. You don’t debate whether or not you’ll write. You just do it.

This doesn’t mean you suddenly have ten free hours a day or that the right words magically flow out of your head and unto the screen. But you’ll start thinking and acting in a new way. You’ll get creative. You’ll stop looking for permission and start looking for pockets of time. You’ll treat your writing like it matters.

Here’s a trick: think about an area in your life where you already have developed strong, unbreakable standards.

Maybe you never skip your morning coffee. Maybe you work out four times a week, no matter what. Maybe you don’t let anyone talk to you a certain way.

You don’t second-guess those things. You just live them. They’re part of your identity.

That’s the energy you need to bring to writing. Make it your standard. Your non-negotiable. The same way you wouldn’t argue with someone about why you should brush your teeth, don’t argue with yourself about whether or not you’re a writer. Just be it.

If your friends or family question it? That’s okay. If someone asked me why I brush my teeth, I wouldn’t take it personally. I’d just smile and move on. If my family or friends questioned me about why I don’t take drugs, I’d have no issue telling them that they don’t align with my lifestyle or health goals.

Writing should feel the same. It’s who you are. No explanation needed.

So if you’ve been stuck, spinning your wheels, or wondering why your book still isn’t finished, ask yourself honestly:

Have you REALLY decided to be a writer?
Or are you still treating it like a distant dream?

Because the second you commit fully, you’ll begin to see time, inspiration, and opportunities you never noticed before.

So DECIDE.
You're a writer right now.
Not someday.
Today.

Why you should finally write that book

The right time to write is right now

Photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash

You were never meant to live a life of constant self-denial  If you feel a pull to write a book, that desire isn’t random. It’s your soul trying to speak through you. When you put your creative dreams on hold, you’re not just delaying a project. You’re silencing a powerful part of yourself.

If you're working a full-time job or juggling other responsibilities, don’t think of writing your book as a distraction or something to cross off your to-do list. Think of it as a necessity for living in alignment with your authentic self.

Expressing your creativity makes you more you.

It brings you closer to who you truly are, which in turn can make you more focused, more fulfilled, and more successful in other areas of life. Creativity doesn't take away from your energy; it fuels it.

But what about paying my bills? Having a job or any another source of income while writing your book can be a blessing, especially in the beginning. When you demand that your creativity pay your bills, it puts your writing under pressure, which doesn’t tend to bring out the best in creative expression. You get stuck in perfectionism, obsessing over the “perfect” idea, the “perfect” outline, or the “perfect” time. And that’s how books don’t get written.

Don’t think of becoming a starving artist. That mentality doesn’t serve you. It doesn’t help you write. Instead, it keeps you stuck in survival mode, thinking that if you start writing, you won’t have income, so you better not start.

You don't have to suffer for your art. Life isn’t meant to be one long sacrifice. You don’t need to wait 20 or 40 years or until you retire to begin. If you believe your writing dream belongs to some far-off future, you’re building internal walls that block you from creating now.

The truth is, writing your book isn’t just about the finished product or destination. It’s about the journey of becoming who you truly are. It’s about stepping into the identity of an author, a creator. When you align with that version of yourself, everything changes. You stop second-guessing. You stop making excuses. You make a decision and honor it.

So don’t wait for permission. Don’t wait for the perfect time, idea, or financial scenario. Decide.

Decide that you’re a writer.

Decide that you’re writing a book.

Decide that you’re an author.

When you commit, your life begins to rearrange itself around that commitment. It’s difficult to argue with a decision that’s been made with clarity and conviction. Start taking action in line with your decision. When you take action, your inner critic will start to quiet down, because you’re no longer living in the fantasy of someday. Your excuses will also dwindle. By making your writing dreams a reality, you’re showing yourself who you were meant to be.

The time to write is now.