We’ve all been there – staring at a blank page or blinking cursor, utterly stumped on what to write next.
Writer’s block is frustrating and kills your motivation and creative flow. As a writer, I know how miserable it feels to be paralyzed by it. But over the years, I’ve gathered some tips to overcome writer’s block when it strikes.
With some minor adjustments, you can regain momentum and crank out that new blog post, short story, script, or report.
Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting, these strategies can help you get back on track when you’re stuck.
Let’s dive in!
Don’t Aim for Perfection
I’ve learned that first drafts are meant to be messy, imperfect brain dumps.
You must give yourself permission to write poorly and make mistakes initially. The goal is to get ideas down without judging or nitpicking grammar, structure, or phrasing.
Obsessing over perfection leads to frustrating loops where the blank page remains blank. Instead, you should silence your inner critic during drafting. You can vomit out a stream of consciousness without second-guessing or self-editing. Once actual words are on the page, no matter how sloppy, then revisions can happen. However, aiming for perfection at the start often causes paralysis.
The first draft gives you something to work with – relentless self-editing gives you nothing.
Use the Perks of a CoWorking Space
When I feel stuck in a writing rut, one of the best tricks up my sleeve is taking advantage of the sweet co-working space I join. Instead of being chained to the same desk and backdrop day after day, I can move around wherever I want in the space.
Sometimes, when I need to refresh my mind, I head to the game area and play table tennis. It’s a quick burst of fun and gets me moving, which helps clear my head and gives me a fresh burst of energy when I return to my desk.
Other times, I’ll find a cozy spot in one of the lounge areas or outside on the patio. Being surrounded by different sights and sounds gets my creative juices flowing again.
Review your Inspiration
When the words just won’t come, don’t forget to revisit the very things that once fired up your creativity in the first place.
As a writer, you likely have a treasure trove of inspirational material to tap into whenever you need a spark.
Pull out those favorite books, poems, or passages that have previously motivated you. Reread them with fresh eyes. Let their words inspire you all over again. Beautiful phrases, deep thoughts, or captivating stories help you break writer’s block.
Music can be another great source of inspiration when you’re struggling. Listen to playlists, albums, or songs that bring back strong feelings or memories. Let the music take you back to that creative mindset, making it easier for you to start writing again.
Try Freewriting Techniques
Freewriting exercises can help dislodge your creative flow. You can try loop writing, where you repeat a line repeatedly while continuing to write whatever comes after it. This breaks your critical inner editor and allows fresh ideas to emerge.
Another technique is to open a book at random and use the first line you see to spark a new scene or story direction. Borrowing an evocative line can transport you to an entirely new narrative path.
Freewriting pushes you to write without constraints. You break free of your blocked mindset with techniques like looping, random lines, and hypothetical scenarios. Open-ended writing creates new avenues for your imagination to run wild again.
Talk It Out
Sometimes, just verbalizing your thoughts and ideas can help unstick your mind when struggling to write. Instead of staring frustratingly at the blank page, try talking out loud about your topic or story.
Explain the concept to a friend, family member, or even just to yourself out loud. As you hear yourself describing the premise, characters, plot points, etc., new connections and ideas may start flowing more naturally than when you’re silently stuck in your head.
You can also try dictating your draft using a voice recorder or audio note app. There’s something about pushing your ideas out verbally that can circumvent mental blocks and get the words flowing again in a fresh way.
Simply talking it through to another person or self-narrating can provide a new perspective and shake up your thought patterns. Making your ideas audible engages different cognitive pathways that may dislodge your stalled brain when writing isn’t working.
Set Small Goals
Break it into tiny, manageable pieces instead of overwhelming yourself with a huge, open-ended writing goal. When you’re feeling blocked, the full scope of a project can seem endlessly daunting. But small, bite-sized goals are much easier to tackle.
For example, don’t pressure yourself to “write the entire book chapter today.” Instead, set a small goal like “write 300 words about this one scene.” Or aim to write for a short, designated period, like 30 minutes.
Having these mini-goals makes starting feel far less intimidating. You’re not staring down a massive blank page – just a little step. Completing these small tasks also provides repeated little wins to build your momentum and confidence.
Once you’ve checked off a few small goals, you’ll likely feel re-energized to keep going for more. But if not, allowing yourself to stop after a modest milestone can alleviate some of the draining pressure.
Do Household Chores
Do mindless household chores to stimulate your creativity when you’re stuck on a writing project. Activities like washing dishes, laundry, or vacuuming require little brain power and allow your mind to wander.
As you complete these simple physical tasks, your subconscious continues mulling over the writing problems you’re grappling with. You’ll find new ideas and solutions that may naturally arise without forcing them. The chores provide just enough distraction to unbind your thoughts.
Performing chores also creates a sense of productive momentum, even if you aren’t actively writing. Checking off basic tasks reduces guilt and clears your mind. After cleaning, you’ll feel more energized to return to your writing.
The key is choosing chores that are simple enough to do without total concentration. More intensive tasks could further drain your mental energy. But easy, familiar cleaning provides a transitional break to reset.
Patricea Chow follows a similar approach when facing writer’s block. She finds that physically stepping away from the computer or disconnecting from the internet can be a powerful reset for sparking fresh ideas.
