“I don’t know what to write about. I don’t know what to write about.”

Like a broken record, I replay these words in my head, over and over again. I stare helplessly at the blank word document displayed on the screen before me, feeling the urge to recoil as the blinding white emptiness looms menacingly over me, smirking at my suffering. The cursor perches idly at the top left corner of the document with a mocking expression, blinking on and off, taunting me, sneering at me, waiting for me to make my move.

But I can’t. I can’t think of anything to write. Why can’t I think of anything? It’s as if there is something barricading my thoughts—something that is keeping them hidden, locked up and tucked away into the dark recesses of my mind. Somewhere I can’t reach.
Is it really this hard? Is it really this hard to write? I can write about anything, can’t I? Isn’t this supposed to be easier? Or is it harder? Or maybe there’s some kind of trick to this? Something I don’t know?

It’s the same situation again, me sitting in front of the laptop, my hands hovering cautiously above the keyboard, reluctant and afraid to come down, as if the push of a key might detonate an explosion. The same situation again, my eyes quickly darting to the clock situated at the top right corner of the screen, blood draining from my face when I realize that a whole hour has passed and not a single letter has been written.

Meanwhile, the cursor continues to blink. On and off, on and off, on and off. My precious seconds, ticking away.

I need to write. Something. Anything.

But alas, I don’t know what to write about.

My mind is turning in circles, like I’m trapped in a maze. I keep running and running, sweat dripping down my face, lungs gasping for air, desperately searching for a way out. But there are no exits. No matter where I run to, no matter which cruel, twisting path I follow, I reach a dead end. What is this feeling?

It must be what they call a “writer’s block.” It must be. And yet, what exactly does it mean? A lack of inspiration? A loss for words?

More importantly, can I be cured?

Or perhaps, I’ve already been?