Creative block? Nope! Can't afford it. S2E1

Most writers these days often experience massive creative blocks. American novelist and poet Erica Jong once said: “Blocks usually stem from fear of being judged. If you imagine the world is listening, you’ll never write a line.”

But that’s not always the case.?

For one, you’re always under immense pressure to deliver and tremendous scrutiny to ensure quality — no matter how, no matter who. Whether you are writing a book or simply penning down a blog for a client, you have deadlines to meet and expectations to meet.?

And you can’t fail them, lest you lose your reputation. Oh no! You can’t have that!

So, what should you do? Should you simply start writing and hope your creative juices eventually start to flow, or do you keep waiting for that glorious inspiration to strike you??

Nope! The fact is that you needn’t come up with a fantastical intro or bombastic words to impress your readers. Simple, easy-to-understand words are enough to discuss, explain, or elaborate anything in an impressive way. What you need is something that your audience can relate to.?

As the 7th generation entrepreneur and author, Jay Baer said: “Just be useful.”?

If your content doesn’t mean anything to anyone or does not help anyone, it is useless. Reading your content should be worth your readers’ time. As soon as you’ve got that figured out, i.e., how your written words could help someone, you’ve effectively succeeded in tearing down your creative block.?

But writing isn’t for everyone, though.?

If you’re looking to build your writing portfolio by working for clients from a varied range of industries, you better be aware of what you are getting yourself into. You can’t falter, you can’t fail, you can’t afford to miss deadlines or compromise on quality. You must relentlessly and consistently keep delivering content that is relevant, relatable, and useful for your readers and your clients — day after day after day after…

Phew! Exhausting eh??

Nope! Can’t afford it!

So, WHAT IS THE SOLUTION??

HERE ARE A FEW TIPS & TRICKS YOU CAN TRY

• Read, read, read…that’s where you can get your inspiration
• Writing about other things can help you get in the grove. This is usually called freewriting.?
• Take a stroll, chat with a friend over the phone, watch Netflix, maybe even make a reel, make a cup of tea, work on a puzzle, try your hand at cooking, or do something as mechanical as rearranging your bookshelf… just distract your mind in any way you think will help get your mind off the writer’s block and then try to refocus once you’re tired of whatever you are doing to distract yourself. Hitting your head on the wall (or your computer) doesn’t help.?
• Draw inspiration from a friend who works in the same or similar niche and brainstorm ideas.
• Focus on genres that you’re more comfortable or knowledgeable in to write on
• Work when you are most creative; are you a night owl, or does your mind feel fresh in the mornings? Work out a schedule that works best for you and stick with it.?
• Work on the structure first; you may get a more clear head to work with
• Music works for some; they are able to find their groove better with some rhythmic music playing in the background.
• Sometimes a change in your work environment can help
• Try to cover all bases on the research front first; take time out to ponder over what struck you the most about what you’ve just learned. You’ll get your peg.
• Work out or take a stroll in the nearby garden or playground; working on your physical muscles can help your creative juices flow.?
• Heck! Sometimes merely changing the font size can help you turn on the switch in your head.?
• If you do have a fear of failing or being judged, as Erica Jong suggested, you should be able to overcome it by simply writing down your thoughts. This self-analysing can help you face your fears and even get you writing on something, even if it is not the article you intend to deliver.??
• Start writing; if it doesn’t turn out great, don’t worry; take a break and then rewrite it with a fresh pair of eyes.?
• Use an AI writing tool to help you realign your thoughts or gain a new perspective; you can even take its help for doing your SEO research and structuring your article. Then start writing in your own way, complete with your own nuances. You’ll get there!?

BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU MUST NOT DO

• Don’t just sit in front of your computer unless you are researching or distracting yourself with some Netflix series. Does not do you any good to sit and struggle over something that won’t bear fruit.
• Don’t use your laziness as an excuse to justify “writer’s block”.?
• Don’t give in to your fears
• Don’t try copy-pasting other people’s work; that will have the opposite effect if you are genuinely trying to overcome your creative block.
• Never use AI writing tools to write your articles; not only will they get you in trouble, but they will permanently damage your creativity. Creativity needs nurturing and nourishment; give in to fears or laziness, and you’re doomed to fail.?
• Don’t skip your meals — your body needs nourishment to maintain the chemical balance in your brain.?
• Don’t go without adequate sleep; your body and mind need rest too. In fact, sleep deprivation can cause prolonged spates of dry spells for a writer and even complete burnout.?

Let’s pray…Dear Lord…

Even when you ARE working on an article, it is a good idea to take a few breaks every now and then. That will help prevent another surge of writer’s block.?

And remember, fear of anything gains power over you when you acknowledge it. Ignore it and write something — anything — and you’ll see your fear weakening its grasp over you.?

Ultimately, one needs to clear out the jumbled-up mesh of doubts, fears, and other negative thoughts from one’s mind to be able to realign their mind and channel their creativity to writing. For that, you should try coming up with a system that works for you.?

Having a clear, fixed routine helps some writers, while others thrive in a more relaxed and messy ambience. While meditation works for some people, others find praying in a peaceful and calm environment. No matter what, every little trick we have discussed today will sound like a “Writer’s Hail Mary” to someone who has never experienced this feeling.?

Whatever others may think about us or how we experience a creative block, only someone who has been in our shoes can understand the feeling. And I have been. And trust me when I say these tricks have worked for me.?

To read about more relevant stuff, visit our Creatie blog.