10 Ways to Combat Writer's Block

Julie McCormick is a writer, and co-owner of The Cleveland Leader, a Technorati Pinnacle 1000 site. Read full profile

All day long, almost every mean solar day of the year, I write.  I write and write and then much that it's almost become second nature, but sometimes I'thou at a loss for words.  I sit around trying to think of what to write, trying to find some inspiration, and sometimes even if I do find something that inspires me, I don't know what to say.  The words just won't come out.  Every bit someone who writes for a living, you can bet that in the battle of chirapsia writer'due south block, I've tried it all.  Here are some of my methods for getting around writer's block, but feel gratis to share your ideas in the comments department as well.

1. Take a Break and Go Back to it After

If you've been staring at a blank screen for hours, sometimes all it takes to become the words flowing over again is to step dorsum for a bit and take a break.  Go run that errand that needs to go done, make yourself a cup of java, watch a television show, go for a run — do anything that takes your heed off writing for a short while.  Sometimes it can be difficult to write if there's something else y'all demand or want to do.  In other instances, taking a break will take off some of the pressure and y'all'll experience more inspired to write when yous get back to it.

I like to permit myself the indulgence of stopping writing to watch an episode of a favorite TV evidence I may have DVRed, or if I am really struggling, a fun, light-hearted movie on Netflix or something to relax and refresh my mind.

ii. Try Writing in a New Place

A simple change of scenery can work wonders.  If you normally write sitting at the desk in your dwelling office, why not endeavor setting upwards your laptop on the picnic table in your lawn (if the conditions is nice)?  You could as well try your local library, a coffee shop, a college campus, or anywhere else that is non where you usually write.  This might not piece of work for anybody, but it's worth a try.

3. Write Almost Something Else

So you've got to write a grand word piece on green businesses or y'all're trying to pen a new chapter for your novel, and for whatever reason it'due south only not inspiring y'all.  I tactic to try is to write about something else.  Sometimes but writing about anything that inspires yous volition help you when it comes times to write about what you need to write about.  I employ this tactic from time to fourth dimension, when I accept to write a political piece and it's just not coming to me, and so I'll exercise a blog mail on my news site nigh random celebrity gossip or whatever comes easily to me at that moment.  It'due south non what you are writing that matters, just that you are writing.

4. Figure Out When Yous Write Best

Nosotros all function on different biorhythms, and while some of you out there might find that you tend to write best at the scissure of dawn, other people, like my husband, find that they get into a good writing groove at more "off" times, like in the middle of the night.  Pay attending to yourself and find out when y'all write best, and when you find it more than of a struggle.  Then, avoid the times, such every bit merely earlier lunch when your claret carbohydrate is low, and you'll have more than good writing experiences overall.

5. Get Moving

Research has shown that exercises helps preserve retentivity because it gets the claret flowing, bringing more oxygen to the encephalon.  I apply the same theory to writing.  Get up out of that chair or off of the couch, and get your claret pumping.  Go for a run, play a game of tennis, or fifty-fifty practice a piddling Wii Fit.  Only make sure you're moving.  Once you've cooled downwardly, showered and are comfortable once again, try writing.  You might be surprised to notice that it comes to you a little easier now.  Give thanks the increased catamenia of oxygen to your brain.

half-dozen. Fob Yourself

There are a few different ways to play a trick on yourself into writing.  First, yous can try telling yourself that you only have to write for v minutes.  That tin sometimes be merely enough to get you going, and you'll discover that you want to proceed.  But like anything else, information technology might not always work.  Another tactic is to pretending you're emailing a friend a "guess what" type of message.  Don't worry nigh the format, you can change that afterward.  Sometimes writing in a more than conversational way is easier than a factual method.

7. Limit the Amount of Fourth dimension You Have to Write

If you lot tend to procrastinate or slack off, this may work well for you. It might also piece of work for those who work well under pressure level. Instead of giving yourself an entire day to write an commodity or study, restrict yourself to just two or three hours.  Sometimes knowing that you have a whole day to complete something will but succeed in giving you an excuse to slack off; you think to yourself "Information technology'south okay if I go shopping because I have the whole day, information technology won't take that long, and I can do it later", or "I'll simply keep Facebook for awhile and maybe something volition come to me." That usually leads to wasted time.    Tell yourself, for instance, that information technology has to be completed by 2pm, no ifs ands or buts.

8. Read a Book, Magazine or Newspaper

If yous're reading a newspaper or mag, sometimes simply scanning the headlines or flipping through the images tin can inspire yous.  Seeing a headline that says "10 Ways to Beat the Winter Dejection" might inspire you to write "10 Ways to Beat out Stress", and so on.  Reading manufacture news can too help you think of an idea for your own writing.  But reading for fun can help too, if only to distract you and requite your brain a workout to go those gears moving.

nine. Always Carry a Voice Recorder or Notebook

Write down or tape your ideas, anywhere, anytime.  This way, when it comes fourth dimension to sit downward and write, if you find yourself struggling to think of something to write well-nigh, you can pull out your notes or listen to your vox notes, and see what you thought of at some other time.  Information technology's and so like shooting fish in a barrel to forget about the things that inspire united states of america as nosotros go about our daily lives, so keeping a log can be a real lifesaver.

x. Use Mind Mapping

Simple mind maps can help you to get all of your ideas down on paper. Write down everything yous desire to say about a item topic, or all of your topic ideas.  To come up upward with a unique bending for a story, link together your most unusual ideas.  One time y'all have everything written downward, it's easy to sort things into categories and discover something interesting to write about.

Final Thoughts

Often times writer's block is merely a consequence of the pressure nosotros put on ourselves to perform.  If you're particularly stressed out or under-the-gun in terms of a looming deadline, writing might exist more than hard.  And sometimes, no matter what you try, the writing just isn't happening, and in this case it's a skilful thought to stride back for awhile and try again later.

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Source: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/10-ways-to-combat-writers-block.html

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