You finally look at the screen where you see that small cursor blinking, laughing at you — taunting with each blink. You have the time, the tools, and heck, you might even have the motivation… but something is holding you back — The Words! Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
One of the worst enemies all writers have in common is Writers Block when feeling like we are unable to put one word together. But you know what is great news: Writer’s block has met its match!
With a few simple strategies, you too can break free from writer’s block, find your creative flow, and do away with the terror of an empty page forever.
Sounds like a dream, right? Uhh, yeah — that loop is completely breakable. But before that let me share some awesome hacks to kick the hell out of Writer Block. And these are not band-aids — they are sustainable practices to keep your creative inkwell ever-full.
1. Get to the Root of the Block
To beat writer’s block, you need to know what the problem is. Is it self-doubt? Perfectionism? A lack of direction? Are You Simply Too Burned Out? Knowing the source of this energy helps you attack it better. You have to put the pieces in place and solve the puzzle, you cannot restore the entire picture without taking action.
Common Culprits
- Perfectionism: The desire to be the perfect artist, or create a masterpiece on your first go can leave you feeling frozen and unable to produce.
- Fear of Judgment: You are afraid of what others will say or think, so you never even try.
- Fatigue: You are running low on creative fuel.
- Lack of Clarity: Not sure what to write about is the simplest excuse sometimes.
Understanding this will help you start using strategies to combat those challenges. For example, if it is perfectionism, time to embrace the art of the messy first draft.
2. Embrace the Messy First Draft
A secret: nothing you write is great at the outset. Is that the perfect novel or the highest of highbrow articles? Here is what it probably looked like a slew of ill-conceived notions, a scattering of grammatical errors, and notes crammed into the margins. Perfectionism is the nemesis of creativity.
The first draft simply needs to be written. It doesn’t! Think of your first draft as a sketch of what you want the final to be like. Editing can be done later on. Writing without doing any editing as you go is one of the best ways to break through writer’s block.
Tips for Embracing Imperfection
- Free Write Now, Edit Later: You are allowed to write badly. Forget about spell check, sitophobia, or even what makes sense. Just get your thoughts down.
- Use a Timer: Dare yourself to see how much you can write in 10, or 15 minutes without stopping. They are going for volume, not quality.
- Pro Tip: When you get a few sentences written, celebrate your small wins. At this stage, progress is what counts.
3. Set Small, Achievable Goals
Have you ever felt dazed in the face of the enormity of your writing project? Or maybe you have a 10,000-word essay that is just around the corner, or a blog series that never seems to end. Let it bring you to a standstill instead. The solution? Do it bit by bit and make it as digestible for yourself as possible
How to Break It Down:
- Just Write 200 Words: Stop thinking of the entire project and plan to write all day; aim for a goal like writing 200 words today. Just 200. When you reach that, then you can choose to move forward, except if you do not want to but if so, well done anyway!
- Work in Sections: Work on the introduction today, write the body tomorrow, and conclude next. Such bite-sized tasks keep the overwhelm at bay.
- Use the Pomodoro Technique: Pomodoros — write for 25 minutes and break for 5 It makes the enormous task look bite-sized and easy to get done.
By breaking your writing into easier short-term goals, the project is far less intimidating and those small wins will give you the fuel to continue creating.
4. Change Your Environment
Have you ever taken a walk in the park and realized that your mind felt less muddled? Or what about how a different environment can inspire new thoughts? Other times writer’s block is your brain telling you it wants to go outside and play.
A change of scene can do absolute wonders for your creativity. And yes, it could be you are becoming uninspired writing in your usual spot. A change of scenery gives you new ideas and helps to clear that writer’s block, which is good.
Environmental Tweaks to Boost Creativity
- Try Writing in a New Spot: Maybe you usually write at your desk, so try moving to a café or park, or simply another room in the house. A new environment can help spark new ideas.
- Excerpt from Declutter Your Space: A messy workspace can make your mind feel cluttered too. Give your mind a break, clean up for just five minutes, and notice how more clarity in your thoughts occurs.
- Go Outside: Nature clears the cobwebs in your mind so go out. From taking a walk in the park or just sitting on your porch, that fresh air and change of scenery may provide that little bit of balance you need at exactly the right moment!
5. Feed Your Creativity
If you’re feeling creatively stuck, it’s likely because your well has run dry. An elaborate output like writing is no different from any other type of work-related output: it needs input.
You can write all day but to do so, you need to constantly be ingesting interesting notions, new trends, and granules of inspiration. Fueling creativity requires feeding on art, stories, conversations, and experiences that inspire you.
Ways to Feed Your Creativity
- Read a Lot: broaden your range beyond the genres or subjects you normally read. Novellas, essays, poetry, blogs on subjects you have no idea exist. Each new snippet of information learned can serve to rekindle your writing.
- Watch Documentaries or Films: People talking about ideas is all right, but numerous types of documentaries and films may offer a fresh way to look at the subject.
- Engage in Other Creative Activities: Pick up painting, photography, or the guitar Doing something completely unrelated to writing sparks fresh ideas and helps you see things from another angle.
Writer’s block usually only becomes a problem when you’re writing with an empty hand. When you nourish your creativity, you are giving yourself something to write about every time you decide to sit down.
6. Take Breaks—Yes, Really
It sounds like a touch of madness, but one way to beat down writer’s block is to not write at all, well not for a while. It may not only be a case of writer’s block but writer burnout as well if you have been overworking or writing continuously.
When you take breaks — your brain is relaxing and refreshing. You will most likely even find the words come out much more quickly when you get back to writing.
How to Recharge Effectively:
- Take a Break from the Screen: Don’t write for an hour, go outside if you can, read a book, or play sport. At times, even walking away is the best option for your mind.
- Set Your Boundaries: If you have been writing all day, it might be time to set rules when it comes to your writing sessions. Allow yourself to have a recovery break from task to task.
- Pull the plug: The constant deluge of notifications and distractions can be mentally draining. Test out a digital detox for a few hours or even a day instead to help recharge your creativity.
You are more than likely also to come back refreshed and ready to start that blank white page again.
Final Thoughts
Every writer knows what it feels like, It’s a migrant temporary barrier. If you want to conquer it — and do so in a way that is sustainable over the long-term — you must address its root cause and integrate by embracing imperfection, setting small goals, changing your environment, feeding your creativity… but also knowing when to take a break.
Heck, I was even doing it for you tracker! No writer’s block!! These are the strategies you need in your toolkit to finally break free from the habit and keep your creative juices flowing. Happy writing!