The Myth of Writer's Block
You never need to face the imaginary enemy

Elements of Style
original text
by William Strunk
Not revised version with
E. B. White

Writer's block is a figment of any writer's imagination.

Various authors and bards at times say writer's block lives a life of its own, as a necessary ingredient of their art and craft. Some teach others likewise. If you want to accept this, too, that is okay. If you do, however, prepare yourself to spend hours, days, years, and, perhaps, your entire writing life, frustrated by an intangible, untouchable, elusive enemy. Plan on being bested by an illusion, while wasting your time, energy and writing talent.

These pages tell how to avoid any encounter with writer's block. They briefly highlight why some writer's suffer various blockages, none of which are writer's block. Mostly, though, the suggestions here emphasize the positive ways to avoid these largely self-inflicted problems.

While the help offered here comes free of charge, it is worth much more than its price. Plus, it applies equally to all types of writing -- letters, reports, term papers, poetry, editorials, works of fiction, technical documents, whatever -- in any style or grammar.

You can write without writer's block. Let's just do it.

• Writing is natural. Skilled writing takes practice.
• Research takes time.
• Thinking is difficult.
• Organization respects your reader.
• Rest and recreation are essential.

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