Writer’s block is a general term applied to a range of creative problems writer’s face on a regular basis in which productivity comes to a halt for one reason or another. With deadlines fast approaching, writer’s block can be very stressful. Here are 10 simple techniques to overcoming writer’s block.
1. Take a break: You might be shaking your head and insisting that you don’t have time to take a break, but the truth is, if you keep struggling the way you are, you probably won’t get anywhere fast. Taking a break, as a short as 10 minutes or as long as 3 days, will give your mind time to recharge and focus.
2. Read: Every single writer suffers from writer’s block at some point in their career. Bear this in mind anytime you read something; knowing that everyone else has struggled will motivate you to keep going. Reading can also be a great way to spark new ideas, especially if you read something that is unrelated to your genre or subject area.
3. Get out of your comfort zone: Sometimes writers can become so rigidly stuck because they are so focused on figuring out their next few lines, but nothing is coming to them. Whether you are a fiction writer or a non-fiction writer, a great way to get your creative juices flowing is to take a break and write a few paragraphs about something completely random. What did you have for lunch? What shampoo do you use? What was the last present you bought for someone? After a few paragraphs, you can return to your work; by switching lanes temporarily, your creative focus will have returned.
4. A new angle: If you get really stuck coming up with a new idea, try this instead: reinvent an old idea! Take something old that you have written and approach it from a different angle. Your readers will appreciate that you are exploring your subject matter in an original way.
5. Skip ahead: If you are writing a novel and your next few pages simply won’t come to you, skip ahead to a later part of the story and start there. It doesn’t matter that you have pieces of your story missing; this change of focus is a great way to remind you where you are going with your story. Whatever you write in this skip-ahead phase will possibly be scrapped by the time you catch up anyway, but the important part is that it temporarily takes you away from the part of your story that is causing you problems.
6. Listen to music: If you are still stuck for words, switch to a completely different mode of communication: music! Listening to music is a great way to knock down that wall created by writer’s block, especially if you listen to music that fits the theme of your writing. Songs are full of emotions, and this can help you to identify with your characters on a deeper level, which can help you to figure out their next move or how they would realistically react to something.
7. Work out: Writing is primarily a mental activity, but spending so many hours each day typing away at a keyboard can lead to physical inactivity. Writer’s block could be a sign that you need to re-balance your mind and body. Go for a jog or bicycle ride. Go swimming, do some yoga, or even just walk to the corner store. Exercise promotes the flow of blood throughout your body and brain. After a good work-out session, you will return to your writing with a sense of rejuvenation and clarity.
8. Switch off your internet connection: When we can’t concentrate, we often give in and let ourselves get caught up browsing the internet; social networking sites, window shopping, YouTube, you name it; it is right there and very tempting. It is so easy to click on your browser and let yourself get distracted, but giving into distraction is a sure-fire way to block your creativity.
9. Re-evaluate your outline: Perhaps you have written an outline and you are trying very hard to stick to it, but you can’t figure out how to get to a certain point in your outline in a way that is realistic, logical, or believable. In this case, consider the possibility that your outline needs a bit of work. Add, subtract, and re-arrange plot points so that things stream together more fluently.
10. Face the boredom: Something that bothers a lot of writers is the debilitating idea that your story is boring and no one will enjoy it. You’ve come up with your characters but you feel that they are dull and that nothing exciting is happening to them. This is OK for now; carry on writing for 10 or 20 pages about your characters and their dull, everyday lives. You will probably end up scrapping most of this, but you need to get to know your characters before you can allow them to react to the major plot points.
As you already know, writer’s block comes in many forms: the absence of ideas, distraction, dissatisfaction with your story or characters, and failure to stick to your outline. You need to identify what kind of writer’s block you are experiencing before you try to overcome it. This is really important because each technique is tailored for specific problems. For example, listening to music when you are battling against distraction would do more harm than good, but if you’re stuck for ideas, music can be invaluable.
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