Writer’s block plagues the best of us. Whether we enjoy writing fiction stories, non-fiction articles or are simply students trying to reach the word/page count for our latest paper, we have all experienced that mental block where the words will not come. We stare at blank walls and blank documents with blinking cursors, hoping something will appear. Sometimes, we even know what we want to say, but we don’t know how to say it.
I have to admit something: I have writer’s block right now. I’m attempting to tell you, dear reader, how to overcome writer’s block while trying to overcome it myself. So I guess I’ll be taking my own advice. While many of these tips will primarily apply to creative (not academic) writing, I’ll include more general advice as well.
Listen to music
Try listening to music you don’t normally listen to, for a new perspective. It doesn’t have to be songs with lyrics, either. I have friends who listen to movie/video game soundtracks while doing homework and I think that’s great. It’s up to you. The music you’re listening to can set the tone of your story. Or, if you’re writing a paper, you can feel epic doing so with the “Jurassic Park” theme playing in the background.
Change your environment
Go to another room, take a walk outside, take a trip to a coffee shop. Don’t stay seated at your desk, staring at the blank walls. Go stare at a different blank wall. But really, you draw inspiration from your surroundings and sometimes, you need a change of scenery. Plus, you can creepily eavesdrop on people’s conversations and get ideas for your own dialogue. Or, perhaps, you’ll only see part of the scene and you’ll have to imagine what led up to that point and what comes after and whoops--where’s your pen and paper? Time to write.
Write now, edit later
It doesn’t matter if what you write is terrible and you know it or if you have a ton of punctuation/spelling errors. You just need to get some words on the page (or screen), to give yourself a foundation to work with. Writing is an arduous process and the first draft is never pretty. If you're writing a paper, please note that, should you take this advice, you actually have to finish the paper with enough time to edit it.
Don't be afraid to write scenes out of order
This is an important one to me because I’ll often form ideas of what will happen three scenes in the future but have no desire at the present to write the steps to get there. I'm here to tell you that's okay. You can write the scenes out of order. No one else is going to know, as long as you finish the story and if you already have ideas for that scene, then why not write the scene?
Talk to people
Tell them which part you're stuck at and see if they have any ideas. Talk about the world you've built and its inhabitants and their adventures. Or, talk about a topic and their opinions or knowledge of that topic. People are wonderful resources.
Create a writing routine
Allot a certain period of time every day to write. Don’t let yourself become distracted because once you open up Instagram or Snapchat, your mind is no longer focused on the writing. Speaking of social media,
Turn off your phone
Unless you’re using your phone to write, I advise you turn off your phone (or at least put it on "Do Not Disturb" mode)and close unnecessary tabs on your computer. Do not let little things interrupt your time with writing.
Set realistic goals for yourself
Maybe you want to write 250 words a day? Or you want to pull a NaNoWriMo and write 50,000 words in a month? (It is possible, by the way.) Whatever it is, set and make sure to meet that goal.
This:
Have you fleshed out your characters? Maybe you know their ambitions and fears, but do you know what songs they sing in the shower? Do you know what their most embarrassing moment was? How well do you truly know your characters?
Use idea generators
Mainly because they're fun and a little ridiculous, but sometimes they can be beneficial. Click here for one I've used before. I also wrote an article about the philosophical implications of them, so check that out here if you want (shameless plug).
During your breaks, do something different
Sometimes when writing, your brain becomes a little fried. While there are instances when mindless scrolling through social media is warranted, try different activities. What other hobbies do you like? Do you play an instrument, sketch, read, take photos? Give yourself a chance to be creative yet refocus.
Make a mind map/outline/brainstorm
You can have all of your ideas in one place so you don't forget any of them.
Last but not least, just write.
Go for it. Write what you yearn for, what keeps you tossing and turning at night because it hasn’t been written yet. Write what makes you cry out of sadness or anger, what makes you laugh, those times when you feel somewhere in between, the muddled grey with no true definition. Write about the palette of colors outside or the when the sunlight casts a golden glow over all it touches or when the rain patters on your windowsill. Write about the feeling when your pet curls next to you or when you're tucked under a freshly washed blanket. Even if it sounds terrible, write. Editing comes later and believe me, there is much to edit. But for now, just write.
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Still stumped? Click here for writing prompts and inspiration.
