Writer’s block can give you the blues, no matter how much you typically enjoy writing. Every writer is intimately familiar with the frustration and disappointment that comes with searching for the perfect words, the correct tone, or bringing the pieces together to form a coherent thought. Sometimes it can feel very isolating, because you’re not sure what is preventing you from getting inspired or even how to begin to fix the problem.

When I’m on a quest to get over the barrier that exists in my own head, I sometimes turn to the greats for inspiration. Here are some quotes that might help you overcome those hurdles, set on a backdrop of photos I’ve taken in places I have written from while visiting. Enjoy the inspiration and potentially the brief glimpses of everywhere from the jungles of Belize to the lakes of Myanmar!

All images in this post are Copyright © 2016 Alexa Huth, freelance writer and photographer, and used by XPlace with Alexa’s express permission.

 

you can't wait for inspiration. you have to go after it with a club

 

you can make anything by writing

 

a lot of writing takes place in the subconscious, and it's bound to have an effect

 

writing is like getting married.

 

if you really want to know yourself, start by writing a book

 

if there's a book that you want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it

 

good writing is rewriting

 

to acquire true self power you have to feel beneath no one, be immune to criticism and be fearless

 

to gain your own voice you have to forget about having it heard

 

a professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit

 

easy reading is damn hard writing

 

however great a man's natural talent may be, the act of writing cannot be learned all at once

 

for a creative writer, possession of the 'truth' is less important than emotional sincerity

the first draft of anything is shit

 

be courageous and try to write in a way that scares you a little