[This is part of the series: 20 Writing Tips From John Erickson]

Writer’s block is only a thing because some cannot accept that their writing quality will fluctuate.

Plain and simple, you will go through periods of inspiration and clarity where you write fantastic and inspired pieces.

And you will go through periods where it feels like you are spinning your wheels…

Keep writing through all of it and don’t obsess over the quality.

Understand: Where quality becomes paralyzing is where writer’s block is found.

Just write.

17. Writers don’t need a psychiatrist for writer’s block.

-John Erickson, Story Craft (Amazon)

[This is part of the series: 20 Writing Tips From John Erickson]

I agree with the sentiment here on average: Not all stories are worth telling.

But I think I would add that what is “worth” reading and writing can also be subjective.

For example, Erickson uses here a story of working in a bar. People behave at their worst in bars. Nothing substantive happened during his time there. And so nothing he found was worth writing about.

While many writers might agree, I also have little doubt that the right writer, with the right eye, coming along at the right time, could write an interesting memoir or fiction book based in and around a bar.

Not everyone would love it – but that’s true of everything else too.

Some stories are also worth writing for non-obvious reasons. I mean, I don’t care if this post is interesting to anyone or not.

I enjoyed writing it – and I know my kids and grandkids will enjoy reading it one day too.

It was worth writing because it was a part of my story – that I thought was worth penning for posterity.

16. Good writers know that every story isn’t worth writing.

-John Erickson, Story Craft (Amazon)