Six Ways to Get Over Writer’s Block

Writers Block

Writers BlockAnyone who has ever needed to write something -= for work, school or leisure — has run into writer’s block. It sneaks up on you and leaves you staring at a blank page feeling hopeless. It can be extremely frustrating. The good news is that just as well as it will surely arrive, it will also surely pass.

Before you give up on writing due to writer’s block, here are a few ways to try to fight through the difficulty and end up with a productive writing session after all.

Change The Scenery

Sometimes snapping out of writer’s block is all about changing your environment. Perhaps you always write at the same computer in the same room at the same time. Try packing up your laptop or a notebook and head out to a coffee shop or the library. There are many places to set up shop to try to write and picking some new scenery can often jump start the creative process for you.

Start with the Conclusion

The part that people get stuck on with writer’s block is the beginning. Getting started at all can be the hardest thing in the world. So don’t start at the beginning. Start writing at the end or in the middle. Anything that gets words flowing is a step in the right direction. Once you have something going, you can go back and fill in the blanks or the beginning.

Get Motivated

Lack of motivation can be a killer to a writer. You don’t always feel like writing when you know you need to be writing. But when you have to write, you have to write. So just write! Sounds easy, right? Write anything to get writing, even about a different topic. Try some free-writing and see if the juices start flowing. Write a review of a book or a product. Once the wheels get going, you might find that it is much easier to tackle the writing that you actually sat down to do.

When it comes to writing or productivity in general, starting gets you so much further than you might think. Tell yourself to write for five minutes or to write one page. You will likely find that you just keep on going and end up with a good session. Baby step your way to a long walk.

Get Inspired

Inspiration is a large part of the writing process. What are you going to write about? Why are you writing today?

Being creative, you know that inspiration can strike anywhere. Put yourself in situations conducive to creativity. Put on your favorite album and listen to the creativity in it. Read a chapter of a book you love. Take a walk and daydream. Take things in and allow your brain to relax. Once you are in this state, you may find that inspiration hits you and the words just start flowing.

Have a Ritual

If you play golf, you may be familiar with the importance of a pre-shot routine. You may get your yardage, take a look at the hole, take two practice swings, waggle once and swing. Every. Single. Time. It builds a routine and takes the thinking out of things. The same thing can apply to the creative process and writing.

Create a routine where you do the same thing to prepare yourself for the work ahead of you. Perhaps you brew a pot of coffee, jot down some bullet points, put on some music or go for a jog before you start writing. If you keep a good ritual, you will find that the process gets simplified and allows you to think only about the project at hand. A better work environment and eased mind creates better work.

Put Pen to Paper

It can be so easy to stare at a blank computer screen. Or be distracted by the Facebooks and Reddits of the world. Eliminate this atmosphere with the old fashioned trick of picking up a pen and paper! You can write anywhere with a pen. And you can also doodle and draw. There are many ways to allow your creativity to start flowing with a pen and paper. Sometimes going old school can take away the block that staring at the screen can create. Start writing anything on a piece of paper and keep going until the writer’s block has been defeated.

Conclusion

Everyone has their own way of writing and their own creative process. My ways might not work for you and yours may not woke for me. But we both know that writer’s block will hit us both and that when it does, we will feel lost. Anything new may help jump start the creativity and get you out of the rut. When writer’s block inevitably hits, try one of these techniques and see if it helps you out of your jam.

Photo Credit