Your deadline is approaching, but you are out of ideas. You are staring at a blank page, and you can’t seem to write another word. You’re trying to start or finish a chapter in your book, but the words are not flowing. More than likely, it’s writer’s block.
Defined as a brain state or a psychological inhibition that stops your creative flow and hinders your writing process, the subject of writer’s block has been widely discussed forever. While there are no direct studies on writer’s block, it can be associated with the brain sections that help in language development, brainstorming, and critical thinking.
According to an article in Seattle Central College, writer’s block is actually ‘creative block’—a biological inhibition that stops the brain from making connections and writing creatively.
But here’s the thing, writer’s block is nothing new. Nor is it impossible to overcome. There are millions of creative works in the world to prove writer’s block can be defeated. As a writer who has faced writer’s block more than a few times, I want to share the 3 easy strategies I use to deal with writer’s block. Feel free to share what works for you in the comment section.
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Understanding Writer’s Block
In his book titled, The Daily Writer: 366 Meditations to Cultivate a Productive and Meaningful Writer’s Life, Fred White outlines five different types of writer’s block, which include:
- Procedural: This type of block causes the writer to say, “What do I do now? Where do I go from here?” For fiction writing, this may mean not knowing how a character should move forward. Nonfiction writers (see also ‘What Is Narrative Nonfiction?‘) working on a memoir may get stuck trying to figure out the level of detail they want to include.
- Creativity: When it seems like you have run out of ideas, you may be facing a creativity block. All types of writers are subject to face this block.
- Psychological: All of the times when negative self-talk, like you’re not good enough to be a writer, crept into your writing session.
- Distraction: Allowing normal tasks — phone calls, laundry, email, housekeeping — to get in the way of writing.
- Procrastination: Suddenly, everything is more important than writing, and you promise yourself you will write again once everything is under control.
If you have experienced one or more of the blocks from this list, keep reading to find out the 3 easy go-to strategies I use to deal with writer’s block
3 Helpful Strategies on How to Deal with Writer’s Block
#1 – Analyze Your Creative Climate
Whether helping clients or students solve problems, I encourage everyone to analyze their situation. Finding a solution to deal with writer’s block requires the same level of attention.
First, think back to when you had a great writing session where you accomplished your goal and your creative flow was high. What were the conditions like?
- What time of day were you writing?
- How long were you working?
- What was your environment like?
- Were you on an internal or external deadline?
- What else do you remember?
Next, think about a time when you experienced a block while writing. What was your creative climate like during that time?
- What interrupted your writing?
- How long did it take to start writing again?
- Did you have a goal for your writing session?
- Did you stop writing to do research?
- What else do you remember?
Compare both lists. Can you identify the type of writer’s block you deal with most often? For me, the distraction block is my biggest problem. Therefore, I try to reduce distractions before I start writing, like moving my phone across the room. Come up with a list of solutions for each type of writer’s block you deal with so you can go back to the time when you’re most productive during your writing session.
“What I try to do is write. I may write for two weeks ‘the cat sat on the mat, that is that, not a rat.’ And it might be just the most boring and awful stuff. But I try. When I’m writing, I write. And then it’s as if the muse is convinced that I’m serious and says, ‘Okay. Okay. I’ll come.’”
#2 – Create a When-Then Plan
If you deal with the procrastination block, create a when-then plan to get back to writing. A when-then plan helps you associate your desire to write with an action. Here are a few examples:
- When you write for 30 minutes, then you will go for a walk.
- When you finish the laundry, then you will write for 15 minutes.
- When you get up at 5 a.m., then you will spend 45 minutes writing a blog post.
Before you start writing, be specific about what you want to accomplish with each writing session. Use regular tasks that are already part of your normal day as your trigger. However, if your ‘when’ doesn’t happen because something unexpected comes up, decide on the time and place to write the next day.
#3. Find Creativity through Non-Writing Activities
Many other creative activities can help you get your creative flow back. Try painting, crafting, cooking, or driving—anything that helps you feel relaxed and stay focused. Some people also like to listen to music to ease their anxiety and feel more energetic. Learn other ways to find creativity when you feel uninspired.
When you return to your writing session, allow the non-writing activity you experienced to influence your creativity. For example, to inspire my creativity, I like watching the shows like Chopped and Project Runway. Watching the contestants on both shows make something out of a few ingredients or materials is fascinating to me. Here are a few more tips on how to find inspiration.
“I don’t believe in writer’s block. Think about it—when you were blocked in college and had to write a paper, didn’t it always manage to fix itself the night before the paper was due? Writer’s block is having too much time on your hands. If you have a limited amount of time to write, you just sit down and do it. You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”
In Summary
Another way to deal with writer’s block is to keep writing. Set small goals for yourself. For example, give yourself the target to write 50, 100, 300, or 500 words on a topic or just one page of the chapter. Once you get there, reward yourself. If you have time, push yourself a little more and keep writing. The more you write, the more motivated you will feel to complete your writing project. For more tips on how to beat writer’s block, check out these 11 awesome tips.
