10 Ways to Crush Writer’s Block
Michelle Emerson
Helping first-time authors to self-publish novels and ebooks with confidence.
Writer’s block is a right old pain, isn’t it, especially when you’ve got deadlines to meet and a to-do list as long as your leg.
So what can you do when you need to crush that writer’s block and fire up your creative juices?
You could start here…
1. Put your project to one side: it will not be forced. I know this from experience. The more you try and force it, the more your work will lack flow and you’ll end up hating the finished article. So do what your brain is telling you and put it to one side for a little while.
2. Do something else: it’s usually the mind-numbing stuff that helps, like cleaning, ironing, baking, and the like. When your ‘project’ isn’t getting your full attention, all the good stuff seeps in. (It doesn’t like being ignored, you see.)
3. Switch off your laptop: sometimes it’s simply a matter of getting away from a screen. So pick up a pen and paper, draw a big spider diagram to help you brainstorm whatever you’re trying to get through and kickstart your juices again.
4. Have a mooch around Facebook: look at other biz pages in your niche, what are they writing about? Pull together some common themes and use them to set off in your own direction.
5. Get out of the house: being stuck in the house with writer’s block is the worst place to be. So take a walk in the fresh air. Go to the gym. Visit the local coffee shop (and eat cake, too, that always helps). Things always look different when you return to your desk.
6. Read a few blogs: there’s nothing wrong with seeing what other people are writing about. Have a read around, pick out some key subjects that people are focussing on, and get back in the flow again.
7. Freewrite: Virginia Woolf was a big advocate of freewriting and I must say I think it’s a good tactic too. If your juice tank is dry just grab your notebook and pen and start writing about absolutely anything and everything that pops into your head. Talk about how you’re feeling, what you can see out of the window, what you can hear, what you’re having for your next meal, etc. This empties the brain of the minutiae and, in theory (and usually practice), it makes way for the fab stuff to filter through.
8. Put some tunes on: get on YouTube and search for some big, powerful songs to raise your vibration. Play them as loud as you can, sign along to them, and dance like nobody’s watching. Honestly, this does work! I’m not pulling a fast one here.
9. Focus on another project: if you have more than one writing project on the go then move onto something else when you’re stuck. It won’t take long before the block is lifted on the original project and you can go back to it. It’s a reverse psychology kinda game your brain plays with itself. I know, it’s mad, isn’t it?
10. Go Googling: if you’re trying to focus on a particular topic, add some keywords into Google and see what comes up. Play around with www.thesaurus.com and try out different keywords in. It really can be as simple as finding another word to use (or even its antonym) to get you back in your funky writing flow again.
Have you crushed it yet? I hope so.
If you’re still stuck, though, you could always grab yourself a copy of my free ebook, ‘Finding Your Funky Writing Flow’ and it could help you kickstart those juices, too. Grab your copy here… https://eepurl.com/ciH8df