Achilles had his heel. Sailors had scurvy. Writers had – and may always have…writer’s block. For persons charged with generating creative words on a daily basis, it’s not a rarity to encounter this ‘little’ speed bump ever so often. Thankfully there’s another ‘little’ handy helper called Google. Here are a few tips to help YOU get those writing wheels back in motion.
1) Get your blood moving
Exercise is really good at getting blood moving through your brain and getting your creative juices flowing. Take a walk, go the gym, do something active and when you return to your writing, you’ll find your head will be much clearer.
2) Change your surroundings
For your best writing, you need focus, and if you go somewhere with the sole intention of getting one piece of writing done, you’ll be productive as you’ll leave the distractions such as your phone or email at your usual place of work.
3) Unplug the Internet
image credit: cgatlin
This is similar to step two but applies when you can’t get away from your desk but need focus. The web is a big distraction when you want to get good writing done.
4) Listen to some music
image credit: max w
This may not work at the office, but if you’re a blogger and you work on the weekend the right music is highly inspriational. I recommend electronic/jazz/classical music, nothing with overt vocals to distract your thoughts — just some nice creative instrumentals to push you along in a good direction.
5) Start what you’re stuck on first thing in the morning
Open what you are stuck on first thing in the morning just as you’re getting to work. Don’t start reading emails/checking voicemail and go into reaction mode – be proactive in tackling your writing. You can actually get you best work done if you start with the most complex and work your way to the easier stuff.
6) File it for later
If it’s not due soon, sometimes the best thing to do is to work on other things and ponder your approach. The angle you’d like to take may hit you in the middle of the night and your block on that project may end itself naturally, before you get frustrated.
7) Get some coffee
This is a quick solution if you don’t have time to exercise. Despite what they say, caffeine is a great boost and will stir your mind. Just make sure what you’re working on is the only thing open while you sip your coffee so you actually work on that project (many people tend to multi-task after coffee).
8) Outline it
Don’t have anything down yet? No worries – just write the main points. Outlining your writing will break it up into easily manageable chunks. If you decide a section doesn’t work, you can always kill it later. It’s always easy to fill in the missing parts than stare at a blank screen.
9) Stop thinking about it and just start writing
In many cases, the best way to beat writer’s block is just to start writing. The first paragraph or even the first sentence is sometimes the hardest. The more you get down, the easier it will be to continue…just be sure to edit later.
10) Don’t force it
Just like you when you have insomnia you shouldn’t try and force sleep, don’t try to force writing when you’re truly stuck. The outcome is the same in both cases – frustration. If you really can’t get writing and you’ve tried everything it may just not be your day. And that’s okay, no one can be successful with creative tasks every day…it may be a day to focus on a more techincal project.
11) Read some blogs/articles/books outside the scope of what you normally write
image credit: onegoodbumblebee
Reading material in the genre of what you’re planning to write can actually make writers block worse, as it gives you the feeling everything has already been said. What helps more is to read content from people/subjects not in your field, as they see the world from a different perspective and will help you get inspired to write something unique.
12) Keep a digital or analog notebook with you 24/7
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Coming up with compelling ideas to write about is sometimes the hardest challenge of all. But, if you’ve got an “idea pad” with you at all times, you can build up a reserve of good topics to draw upon as you need them. You’re working proactively to prevent idea blocks in your writing. Inspiration usually strikes when you’re not near your desk or actively working on things anyway, all creatives need to carry a digital or analog method of jotting down ideas.
13) Keep writer’s block away by writing daily
Just like someone who is out of shape could not run a mile in a respectable amount of time, someone who doesn’t write frequently will not be able to produce successful writing in a timely manner. You have to train your body to run, just like you must train your brain to write. And you become a faster runner and more proficient writer through repeated practice and perseverance.
14) Eat healthy food and snacks
Your brain requires proper nourishment to function at optimial levels. I actually notice my mental output is directly proportional to how healthy I am eating for the week. Load up on protein, foods rich in antioxidants, juices, fresh fruits and nuts, vegetables, and smoothies – you’ll not only feel better, your writing will be stronger as that generally reflects your mood (whether you’re conscious of it or not).
15) Try taking a nap
If you’re tired, you’re more likely to suffer writer’s block than if you’re well rested. Seven hours of sleep a night is minimum in my mind for optimum levels of successful brain-processing, however if you need to get through your writer’s block ASAP sometimes a quick nap will reset your brain.
http://thefuturebuzz.com/2008/12/03/how-to-overcome-writers-block/
29 November, 2012, 2:07 pm
how about taking a shower….that helps me clear my mind as well as brainstorm my ideas