Have you encountered situations where, no matter how hard you try, you can’t find the right words to write? Or, have you ever experienced certain difficulties in coming up with a topic idea or content for your assigned writeup?
Do not worry, like most writers encounter this situation, this commonly occurs in a temporary condition especially when you are already at the peak of your writing stage. There are times when writers run out of words.
Aside from the fact that writers can be in difficult situations, several blockers can make your ideas and creativity get stuck into one area, and you can hardly translate your thoughts into words.
Writer’s block, commonly experienced by blog or content writers, will be discussed in this article. How do you tackle this major problem? Let’s discuss the possible ways to overcome writer’s block.
What Do You Mean By Writer’s Block?
If you ever experienced being unable to think of what you are going to write, or what words or sentences you are going to write next, this is referred to as writer’s block.
Most writers experience this, especially when they are given a small time to write the pieces, when the material is new or complex, or when writers say “our mind is currently not in the writing mood right now.”
Technically, physiological and psychological factors are some of the major contributors to the writer’s block situation. Physiological factors which inhibit the body to function well when writing include burnout, depression, lack of sleep, and stress. Running out of inspiration or getting distracted by the surroundings, and being too exhausted are some of the factors that affect writer’s block.
Tips to Overcome Writer’s Block
When writing, an array of words come into your mind that you find it hard to pick what thought you are going to portray through words. The pressure really begins to boil when you start writing a single word or sentence. Before writers become successful in their respective journeys, they too have encountered writer’s block especially when they feel the pressure and struggle of establishing continuity among their thoughts. Subsequently, with continuous perseverance in writing, this will unleash some of your potentials when addressing concerns should you encounter the situation of writer’s block.
Getting back on the creativity track in writing is a challenging phase, especially when you’re just fresh from the writer’s block situation. The stress, frustration, and tension brought by writing hinder you to be inspired and focused in writing; hence, in this section, you will learn some ways that you can overcome writer’s block.
Create a Writing Plan
The first tip in writing is to always be proactive rather than being reactive. In overcoming writer’s block, you must have a well-thought writing plan. Remember: Spontaneous thoughts entail spontaneous plans.
Writing with no direction will give you difficulty to continue and express your thoughts over the long run.
When creating a writing plan, here are ways you should observe:
- Make a schedule of what things you are going to write, and the time and date of writing certain topics. To avoid writer’s block, always observe to stick with the schedule, and allocate no more than 2 hours of writing. Most writers do not recommend writing for three hours and more, especially for beginners
- Set the plan foundation. Questions such as “What’s my word count?”, “How am I going to show the data and statistics?, and “What writing structure am I going to use?” are the things you should consider in this phase. This will give you consistency in writing and prevent the writer’s block situation.
- Set a deadline. When you write, set a due date for your output. This will give you utmost discipline in writing and allow continuity of thoughts within the set schedule.
Read, Read, Read
As to Francis Bacon’s adage, “reading maketh a man fulleth.” Reading opens you to new ventures especially when you write. For amateur writers, the first thing that they usually do, especially when the topic they are going to discuss is new and complex, is to perform an extensive amount of research work prior to deploying their thoughts on a topic. Do not pressure yourself to read everything.
The important thing you need to do during research is to take note of the necessary details related to the topic you are going to discuss. In this tip, comprehensive reading and focus are essential. In addition, this will also allow you to emphasize thoughts according to different perspectives; thus, will help you prevent the writer’s block situation.
When reading and incorporating it into your writing, it must answer these questions:
- Is this reading relevant and timely?
- How will this reading give me ways to create interaction among my readers?
- What main points and subpoints am I going to consider so that it will add an idea to the topic I am going to discuss?
Take a Break
Writing helps you translate thoughts into words while sorting your scattered ideas in an organized manner. When experiencing writer’s block, the situation we normally encounter is that we find it hard to organize our own thoughts; making it hard to make different perspectives all put into one writing. Experiencing writer’s block, we tend to sometimes lose our objectivity. There are also times that we tend to sacrifice our breaks just to accomplish the project within the time limit; hence, contributes to the loss of writing quality.
The third tip you should observe to overcome writer’s block is to always take a writing break. This will allow you to clear your mind and develop a new perspective in your next writing activity. When we immediately move on to the next writing activity, this sometimes causes us to block the flow of thoughts because the knowledge and ideas perceived in the previous session were not yet fully internalized.
After writing, have at least a 25-minute break. On that break, you can rest your eyes by not using any gadgets, and have a sip of your coffee, juice, or tea while enjoying its smooth aroma and sensation.
Eliminate Distractions
When writing, focus and determination are essential qualities you must embody. The next tip in overcoming writer’s block is to eliminate distractions. This will allow you to effectively organize your thoughts in a harmonious manner.
Distractions can include noise, people calling your attention, tasks that are unfinished, bad weather, mobile phones, and a wandering mind. While it may seem impossible to be in a distraction-free environment, you can always make your own room the perfect place to write in focus.
Find a Suitable Writing Spot
The next tip in overcoming writer’s block is to find a suitable writing spot. This will allow you to facilitate a harmonious mental space and allow further organization of your thoughts.
Psychology says that you need to make sure that you are not working in your bedroom. If you are only using your bedroom as your working area, try not to face the bed. Professionals say that when you see the bed, you easily get sleepy.
In addition, organize your things on the working desk. This will promote peace of mind and you will be able to concentrate on your work.
Explore Writing Outdoor
The sixth tip in conquering the writer’s block situation is to allow yourself in widening your mental space by exploring to write outdoors. Psychologists assert that outdoor areas give you a wide mental space, which allows you to make further visualizations of your thoughts. In addition, this will also harmonize your mind in seeking for inspiration, especially when writing.
Exercise and Eat Well
“A sound body keeps a sound mind.”
This is why you have to aim for good health as a writer. Having good physical and mental exercise for at least 5-10 minutes first thing of the day with a proper meal allows affirmation of your body to do well throughout the day.
This will also give you great thoughts while writing your articles.
Remember Your Goals
When things get tough in writing, remind yourself why you started to write in the first place. Giving yourself a friendly reminder of how great it feels to write is a good suggestion.
The last tip, especially when overcoming writer’s block is to make sure that you have to remember your goals. You need to be proactive especially when writing.
The reason why you need to remember your goals is that you will be driven in times you encounter the writer’s block situation.