Got Writer’s Block? 3 Ways to Get Unstuck
Written by Alexis Rodrigo · Print This Article
Anybody who’s ever had to do any kind of writing has experienced writer’s block at one time or another. Your ideas aren’t flowing. Or you manage to get some words down, but they sound stilted. Or maybe everything you write just sounds awful.
Writer’s block can last for a few minutes or it can go on for weeks, even months. It’s like a “dark night” in a writer’s soul.
Fortunately, we can overcome writer’s block. Otherwise, nobody could make a living from writing.
Here are 3 ways for getting unstuck that have worked for me personally:
1. Get a change of scenery.
Sometimes the mind gets in a rut because we’ve been cooped up in the same place day in and day out. When that happens, it needs to be jolted back into action by a change in your physical location.
It can be as simple as moving from your home office to the family room (as long as it’s quiet enough). Or, if you always work indoors, try stepping outside in your backyard or a nearby park. Or, if you work at home most of the time, then write in Starbucks or the library.
2. Look for inspiration in unusual sources.
By this I mean putting on different colored lenses with which to look at your topic. For example, if you have to write an article about productivity, see if you can get inspiration from, say, your pet. What productivity wisdom can you learn from your pet?
Give it some thought and actually write down whatever comes to you. You may come up with totally useless crap. Or you may unearth some unique insights. Either way, you’ll be engaging your creativity muscles and forcing your mind to think outside the box.
3. Don’t write – yet.
Sometimes, we have writer’s block, because our bodies and/or minds are exhausted. If that’s the case, don’t force it. You’ll just be wasting your time.
Instead, walk away from the writing task at hand, at least for a little while. Rest your body and your body. Be confident that your subconscious mind is working on that article or blog post, even while you’re having a yoga session on the Wii.
This can be particularly difficult when you’re writing on a deadline. The obvious way to avoid getting in this situation is by giving yourself plenty of time to complete writing projects.
It also helps to “program” your mind with all the writing tasks you need to complete. For example, in any given week, I know what writing projects I need to finish. Even if I have no idea how to even begin some of them, I don’t freak out. I know my subconscious mind is already working on it and the content will come to me on time.
How Do You Do It?
How do you cope with writer’s block? What works for you that I haven’t discussed here? Do share.
About the Author
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I often go for a walk – a short one in the garden with a cup of herbal tea; listening to the birds singing and getting reconnected with nature. A longer one to disassoicate from the task in hand. I think about my breathing, posture, pace. This often is enough for ideas to ‘ping’ in my head. I alswasy ensure I have a pen and notebook with me.