Here are 10 ways you can remedy your Writer's Block
Do you ever experience 'Creator's Block' or what is notoriously known as 'Writer's Block'? I know I have.
You stare down at a sheet of blank paper, yet no clue what to fill it with. You could sit and stare at the blinking line on a word document for hours and not type a single word. Writer's Block is a pain and you need a push to get the creative juices flowing.
If the 10 Week Prompt Challenge didn't get you results, then one of these ten cures will.
Writer Block’s Cure #1: Take a Walk
Step away from your work and clear your mind. This gives your mind a chance to make room for fresh new ideas. If you sit behind a computer all day, then this tip is especially great. Fresh air and a low stress will foster an environment for creativity to strike.
Whether you are in a city, by the water, or walking past trees, a change of scenery shakes things up. Hopefully, this will shake something good onto your paper!
Writer Block’s Cure #2: People Watch
Often, when you step away from your current task, it increases your productivity. For some, an aimless walk is all they need. You however may need a destination to head towards, or an activity to watch. High traffic places such as parks, shopping centers, or cafes are perfect. You could people watch and get inspired by the change of environment.
We highly recommend coffee shops because not only do they provide plenty of space, tables, and people... You can also get your morning fix of coffee with your inspiration. Talk about being productive and knocking two birds with one stone.
Writer Block’s Cure #3: Learning
Do some research, learn for the sake of learning. The topic you choose can be anything. It could be an event that related to the topic your project is on, or something not relevant to your current work. You can do this by reading articles, watching a documentary, or interviewing someone. The knowledge you gain could spark new inspiration and creativity for your work.
Writer Block’s Cure #4: Music
Everyone has deadlines, including you. This tip is for you when you cannot leave the office and need to get inspired yesterday. Whether your deadlines are work-related or self-imposed, time waits for nobody. This is why we recommend music can get you out of your 'writer's block'.
The genre of music is irrelevant. Some get inspired by listening to music related to their work (i.e. country music for western inspired work). But, lyrics in music can be distracting. This is why we recommend using instrumental music or karaoke tracks. If you are feeling particularly indecisive, give video game tracks. These musical scores keep players engaged and focused. Thus this kind of music could have the same effect on you when you're creating.
Writer Block’s Cure #5: Finding Your "Why"
When stumped with any kind of mental block, you need to remind yourself why you do the things you do. What made you want to write your story in the first place? Take a moment of silence in a comfortable spot to think about your answer. If possible, visit the location where you find your inspiration! Learning what and where you get inspired could be a game-changer.
Writer Block’s Cure #6: Stream of Conscious Writing
Don't think too much. Spend 15 minutes writing whatever comes to mind. Write without editing, draw without erasing. Spill out the top layers of your thoughts on your sheet of paper and get them out of the way so your mind can be clear.
Using the stream of consciousness technique can lead you to thinking of fresh new ideas. In fact there's a great daily habit called 'Morning Pages' that I highly recommend people to do, even if they don't consider themselves creative.
Writer Block’s Cure #7: Previous Drafts
After you revise a piece many times, the original message can be lost. This is why I would recommend saving older drafts for future use. You can use these old scraps as inspiration. I'd even take a step further and log any random thought or idea in a journal. What's a strange or silly idea today may be genius in the future. This is why having a 'brain dump' for all your ideas can help you in the long run to keep your creativity flowing. Same goes for old drafts that could spark creativity.
Writer Block’s Cure #8: Prompts
This should come to no surprise to any of you. Sometimes all you need is to get a theme, a sentence, or a phrase to jumpstart your creativity. There are plenty of ways you can come up with prompts such as writing something based off a song title. Or you can participate in the 10 Week Prompt Challenge to get weekly prompts.
Writer Block’s Cure #9: Restrictions / Limitations
Rules and restrictions can force you to think creatively. This idea is piggybacking from the precious point. This prompt of restricting yourself make you 'think out of the box' which is another way of being creative. Some examples are:
No animals
Use only children as protagonists
No undo
Work from a small budget
Use one drawing utensil
Writer Block’s Cure #10: Outlining
Preproduction is important. While getting inspiration by being 'free' are great, sometimes the solution is the opposite. When you get Writer's Block it you could be experiencing decision paralysis. You have too many ideas or are overwhelmed by the behemoth of a creative project.
This is why you need to take time to break your ideas down. Put your ideas into different categories and organize them. We have a handy guide to help you with picking an idea and expressing it.
If you have a story idea, outline that story and put all your events in chronological order. When you organize, you take something messy and break it down to a more manageable size. That way you can definitely know what's the next step you need to take.
What “Cure” do you use for Writer’s Block?
I hope this list cures you of your own mental roadblocks.
Remember that everyone is different and results will vary when you try these methods on your own time. I'd love to hear other kinds of remedies for Writer's Block, so if you have any to share, leave a comment below!