Maria Riley shares tips for combating writer’s block.

As a Catholic writer, I am blessed and challenged by the knowledge that what I am writing is not really my own words. My goal every time I sit down at the keyboard is to write the words God wants from me. For this reason, I have learned that I don’t suffer from a traditional writer’s block, but rather a spiritual block when the words don’t come.

I’ve often joked that I wish God would send me an email outlining exactly what he wants me to do. I am not known for my patience. When I feel lost without inspiration, I want a quick fix and immediate answer to what I should be writing that day. The reality is that God doesn’t work on our timeline. His inspiration isn’t a tap we can turn on and off when we are ready for it.

The tricks for overcoming a spiritual block are simple in theory, but the practice can be challenging. The more we talk to God through reading scripture, spending quiet time in prayer, and pursuing faith-based activities and friendships, the more we will hear God communicating with us throughout the day. The more we hear directly from God, the easier it is to sit and write with confidence and ease.

Unfortunately, our daily lives are inundated with noise and distractions that prevent us from hearing the quiet words God is trying to speak into our hearts. It has been my experience that God rarely yells. He is always reaching out and seeking us, yet he waits patiently for us to respond to him.

Finding time to sit quietly seems counterintuitive when a deadline is looming, yet it may be the only way to fully open the channel to God. Nathaniel Hawthorn penned one of my favorite quotes: “Happiness is like a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”

I have found this to be true for writing inspiration. So long as I am using my own strength and resources to actively pursue the right subject matter, I will always fail. If I can force myself to sit down, be still, and listen, that is when the creative juices flow freely.

Another method for combatting Catholic writer’s block is to not wait until you are at the computer to gather your inspiration. I keep a running note on my phone in which I can jot notes whenever I feel divine inspiration. I frequently get ideas while listening to a sermon, chatting in a conversation, or while hearing God’s word on a podcast. Since I practically always have my phone with me, the notes app is a perfect go-to place to gather these ideas.

By prioritizing quiet, contemplative prayer time, I feel close to God, even though I don’t always pray with the consistency that I’d like. Like everyone, my hectic schedule and constant disruptions get the best of me. Throughout my day I try to offer up my work and sufferings as prayer, and I pray for others when they pop into my mind. I struggle, though, to find significant blocks of time to sit silently and listen to God.

Every night before I fall asleep, I speak to God. I discovered that consistently I felt inspired and motivated each night. I realized that this was my contemplative prayer time. The house is quiet, everyone else is asleep, and I turn my thoughts to God. I first give thanks for my blessings, then ask for forgiveness for my shortcomings, and then I let my mind wander with the help of the Holy Spirit. Now I recognize that some of my best ideas are developed in those quiet moments.

When all else fails to combat your writer’s block, I recommend writing what you know. For me, I know writer’s block today. As I write, I pray that I can inspire another writer to continue on a mission from God to share his word with the world in that writer’s own unique way.

Maria Riley 2023