writer's block

American  

noun

1. a usually temporary condition in which a writer finds it impossible to proceed with the writing of a novel, play, or other work.

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Etymology

Origin of writer's block

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

But despite his success, he was not immune to suffering from writer's block.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

She’s supposedly working on a book about the unlikely friendship of judges Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia, but writer’s block has run out the clock on advances, and bills are piling up.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2025

Since then, Musk apparently came down with a kind of writer’s block.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 8, 2025

In the grip of a serious case of writer's block, her life takes a fortuitous turn when she is accepted at a Jane Austen retreat after Félix secretly submits an application on her behalf.

From Salon • May 30, 2025

She said it was a result of writer's block while two family members dealt with cancer.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2025