Writer’s Block – 7 Tips to Overcoming a Writer’s Archenemy

Well if you’ve ever written anything — and chances are you have — then I’m sure you’re more than familiar with something called Writer’s Block. Writer’s Block is basically when you have difficulty writing or don’t feel very creative. Whether you can’t conjure up good imaginative ideas or you simply are having trouble getting good ideas into words, Writer’s Block is frustrating and can put a damper on not only your progress, but your confidence in your writing. Though you can’t just go to the doctor and get a prescription for some medicine to make Writer’s Block go away, there are a few things you can try to help yourself recover from it and revive your writing.

1. Take a break. Maybe your biggest problem is that you’re trying to force ideas from your brain. Try “taking five” and doing something simple, like getting a glass of water or going for a quick stroll around the block.

2. Look for inspiration. You can’t necessarily wait for inspiration to strike, but sometimes looking at pictures or reading the news can give you ideas about what to write about or how to start, or other valuable thoughts that could help you get the ball rolling.

3. Get up. Sometimes all you have to do to trigger your creativity is get your blood flowing. Try taking a walk or doing some light exercises.

4. Make deadlines. Sometimes taking a chill pill is just what you need to do, but other times it’s not a bad idea to give yourself a healthy dose of pressure. If you set deadlines on your writing and keep them, you’ll make a lot more progress than if you sit and stare at a blank page or screen — and you might actually find you write better when you have a goal to reach.

5. Brainstorm. Think about any number of topics or possibilities. Whether you stay realistic or let yourself fantasize about things that are way beyond reality, just think. You’d be surprised what a little randomness could do to help your writing. Don’t stress out and force yourself to come up with stuff though: just let your thoughts run wild and see what you come up with.

6. What if? (This one applies mostly to story-writing, but you could apply it to other forms of writing.) If your mind isn’t creative enough to come up with anything helpful from brainstorming, maybe you should make up a fantasy situation for your characters. Even if you know the “what-if” isn’t what you want in your story, it could trigger your creativity enough to come up with exactly what you want or give you a good idea to incorporate. As with the brainstorming exercise, just let your thoughts run wild. Sometimes the best of ideas are hidden somewhere in your mind — you just have to find them.

7. Enjoy just writing! If you don’t like writing or are trying to work through Writer’s Block, this can be pretty difficult, but the best way to overcome Writer’s Block is to just write, write, write! Raymond Chandler, a published author, once said, “The faster I write the better my output. If I’m going slow I’m in trouble. It means I’m pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.” Don’t stop and wonder if your writing is any good or if you spelled something correctly (save that for the 2nd step: editing). Just write the first thing your brain tells you and let your thoughts flow.

-Andrea