I found this book at the right time. It speaks directly to writers who are looking to address their inhibitions and recognize the most common blockages of the writing they otherwise cannot bring themselves to do. The author's brief literary history of writer's block in critical studies and contemporary American fiction affirms many of the doubts we've all told ourselves at some point.

The introduction establishes a clear roadmap for different critical approaches to writer's block; I thought chapters one and two were the most relevant and effective for me personally, especially chapter one pertaining to a writer's life inside and outside of academic institutions.

Just beyond the scope of the author's focus is how the availability of generative AI has impacted undergraduates' experiences of writer's block. Anyone who has taught undergrads since 2023 can tell you AI is the most common way many students choose to get through writer's block.

But all throughout the book the author illustrates, with well-chosen examples, how the core feelings of doubt and expressive uncertainty have emerged in literary fiction and can be overcome by exercises in pedagogy and composition.

I think this book would be really useful in the hands of undergrads as well as any writer looking for a way to disrupt whatever blockage they are going through in their process.

I started this book last month and was excited to learn how to fix my writer's block. Am I good at writing? Absolutely not, but I love to do it for fun. I just can’t seem to get past the dam that blocks the words and sentences that used to flow so easily for me a few months ago. Desperate for help, I was happy to see that my request was approved to read this book, so I dived right in. It was a very interesting read, but did it help with my writer's block? No, not really. However, I learned quite a few things and I don’t regret reading this.

Do I recommend it? Sure, it’s useful and intriguing. But I’m going to have to find something else to help me because I miss writing like I used to. 😭😅

Thank you to University of Iowa Press and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.

#WritingThroughWritersBlock #NetGalley