You want to write.

At least you think you do.

But somehow you're checking your email.

Making coffee.

Researching something that probably doesn't need researching.

Reorganising your notes.

Maybe even cleaning the house.

Eventually you decide you must have writer's block.

Maybe.

But sometimes writer's block is actually procrastination.

Knowing which one you're dealing with matters because they don't always need the same solution.

What Is Writer's Block?

Writer's block is difficulty producing or developing your writing.

You may genuinely want to write.

You may be sitting at the computer ready to work.

But you can't work out what comes next.

Perhaps you don't know how to begin.

Your idea isn't clear enough.

A section isn't working.

Or every sentence seems wrong as soon as you write it.

You are trying to write, but something is creating friction.

What Is Procrastination?

Procrastination is different.

You may know perfectly well what you need to do.

You just aren't doing it.

Instead, you find something else to occupy your attention.

That something might even look productive.

You research.

You plan.

You tweak your writing software.

You make another outline.

You watch a video about writing.

You're doing things around the writing instead of doing the writing.

Ask Yourself One Simple Question

There's a useful way to start separating the two.

Ask yourself:

If I had to write for the next 10 minutes, do I know roughly what I would write?

If the answer is no, you may genuinely be stuck.

You might need to explore the idea, solve a structural problem, do some necessary research, or work out what you're trying to say.

If the answer is yes, but you still keep avoiding the page, procrastination may be the bigger problem.

You don't lack a direction. You're resisting the act of beginning.

Procrastination Often Disguises Itself as Preparation

This is where writers can fool themselves.

Watching television instead of writing obviously looks like procrastination.

Researching your article for another three hours doesn't.

Neither does:

Any of these things can be useful.

But useful activities can still become avoidance.

Ask whether the activity is helping you write or helping you avoid writing.

Sometimes You Know Exactly What Comes Next

This is one of the clearest signs of procrastination.

You know the next step.

You know the section you need to write.

You know the story you want to tell.

You may even have the whole thing outlined.

But you keep putting it off.

In that situation, another hour of planning probably isn't going to help.

The problem isn't knowing what to do.

It's getting yourself to do it.

Why Do Writers Procrastinate?

It's easy to assume procrastination is just laziness.

But avoidance can happen for all sorts of reasons.

You might be:

Calling yourself lazy doesn't tell you which problem you're actually dealing with.

Understanding what you're avoiding is much more useful.

Writer's Block Can Cause Procrastination

The two aren't completely separate.

Writer's block can turn into procrastination.

You get stuck on a chapter.

Working on it becomes uncomfortable.

So tomorrow you put it off.

Then you put it off again.

Eventually, simply opening the document feels unpleasant.

Now you're dealing with both problems.

You became stuck, and then you started avoiding the experience of being stuck.

Perfectionism Can Look Like Both

Perfectionism makes the distinction even messier.

You might sit down to write but reject every sentence.

That looks like writer's block.

Or you might avoid sitting down because you know the writing won't match the version in your imagination.

That looks like procrastination.

The underlying problem may be the same.

You're demanding too much from the draft.

In both cases, deliberately lowering your standards for the first draft can help.

Try the 10-Minute Test

If you're not sure whether you're blocked or procrastinating, try this.

Step 1: Remove the Distractions

Close everything you don't need.

Put your phone away.

Step 2: Set a Timer for 10 Minutes

You're not committing to an entire writing session.

Just 10 minutes.

Step 3: Start Writing

Don't worry about quality.

Write whatever you currently can.

Step 4: Notice What Happens

If the words begin flowing once you've started, procrastination may have been the main obstacle.

You didn't need inspiration.

You needed to begin.

If you're genuinely struggling to work out what to say, you may need to explore the idea more deeply.

If It's Procrastination, Make Starting Smaller

Don't tell yourself you're going to write for four hours.

Don't tell yourself you're going to finish the chapter.

Make the task almost ridiculously small.

Write for five minutes.

Write 100 words.

Write one paragraph.

The goal is to reduce the resistance to beginning.

Once you're moving, continuing is often easier.

If It's Writer's Block, Find the Specific Block

Don't just tell yourself:

I can't write.

That's too vague to solve.

Ask what you're actually stuck on.

A specific problem is easier to solve than "writer's block."

Freewriting Can Help With Both

Freewriting can be useful whether you're blocked or procrastinating.

If you're procrastinating, it gives you an easy way to begin.

You don't have to produce anything good.

You just have to write for a few minutes.

If you're blocked, freewriting lets you explore the problem without needing to solve it first.

Start with:

The thing I'm stuck on is...

Then keep writing.

You might discover that you know more about the problem than you thought.

Sometimes You Just Don't Want to Write

There's another possibility worth admitting.

Sometimes you aren't blocked.

You aren't even procrastinating because you're frightened or overwhelmed.

You simply don't feel like doing the work.

That's normal.

Writing isn't always exciting.

Some parts are repetitive, difficult, or boring.

You don't need to feel inspired every time you write.

Sometimes writing is simply the thing you've decided to do, so you sit down and do some of it.

Know Which Problem You're Solving

Writer's block and procrastination can feel similar because the result is the same.

Nothing gets written.

But the reason matters.

If you genuinely don't know what comes next, explore the problem.

If you know what comes next but keep avoiding it, make starting easier.

If you're demanding perfection, lower the standard.

If you're exhausted, take a break.

If you're bored, accept that not every part of writing will be exciting.

Don't spend hours trying to cure writer's block when what you really need to do is begin.

And don't call yourself a procrastinator when you're genuinely stuck on a problem that needs solving.

Figure out which one you're dealing with.

Then solve that problem.