WHAT DO YOU DO TO UNSTICK YOURSELF FROM WRITERS BLOCK?
If you’ve done much creative writing at all, at some point, you’ve come across what’s known as writer’s block. You can often tell you’ve got it if you find yourself staring at a blank sheet of paper, or in my case… at a blank computer screen. Sometimes you even get “blocked” right in the middle of your writing.
You Can Overcome the Frustration of Writers Block!
Writers block can be really frustrating… especially if you have a deadline, or if you’re just anxious to get something done and out. But so often, I know it gets hard to put the words that are stuck in your head on paper. So you sit… you think… and nothing happens. And the longer you sit, the more frustrated you get which makes it even more difficult to snap out of it.
So what’s the solution?
Here are seven of the techniques that I’ve learned along the way about getting unstuck from writers block:
1. Call someone on the phone and talk to them about the subject:
This is one of my favorite, and it always works. The key to this is making sure that you find someone who will actually listen. Sometimes that’s a little easier said than done. This forces your mind to think different thoughts about the subject, which also forces you to look at your topic from a slightly different angle.
2. Exercise Free Association
Even though this is a well known concept used with psychology, it also works great for writing and overcoming writers block. The technique is simple… Whether it seems relevant or not, just write down whatever comes to your mind. The benefits… this exercise might give you the chance to see the subject that has you blocked from a completely different angle. It can also help you to clear some of your mind’s distractions.
3. Speaking of your mind… Clear It!
When you’re distracted, it’s hard to focus your thoughts. There are many things you can do to clear your mind… but I’ve found one of the easiest things to do to overcome writers block is to shut everything down around me. That means no noise of any kind. Sometimes this might mean finding a different spot to relax in, but do whatever you need to do to find that quiet place. No t.v., no music with lyrics, no computer games… just a bit of peace and quiet to allow your mind to “hear” more clearly.
4. Take A Walk
Literally… step away from the writing. Go for a walk and stretch your legs. If it’s sunny out, all the better. Take a break and get a little physical activity. This is great for writers block and can bring you fresh insight on your subject.
5. Write About A Related Subject
This technique almost forces you to trick your mind. You simply push your main topic to the side and start writing a paragraph or two about a related subject. In other words, if you’re writing about blogging, for example, you could write a little bit about getting traffic. If you’re writing about marriage and relationships, you could do a little bit about how to communicate. This works every time!
6. Imagine Someone Asking You a Question About The Subject
In order to get your mind to shift over to “conversation mode”, put a real person in your mind. This doesn’t have to be a person that you know, but a person who, in your mind, would at least know enough about your topic to ask an intelligent question. Imagine their gender, age, and level of knowledge about the topic. As mentioned earlier, this just gives you a different way of thinking about your topic and can help break your writers block.
7. Completely Change The Subject
This is a last resort, but sometimes you can help unstick yourself from writers block by just put your writing on the back burner for a day or so. This gives you time to mentally get over the hump and possibly kick in a new twist on the subject. You might even have an intentional conversation with someone about a different subject. This forces you to put your attention somewhere else completely… if you do it right… It gives you a chance to take a mental break and some much needed mental space. When you come back to your topic, you’ll come back with fresher eyes. Just make sure not to completely lose the focus of your current topic. Of course, sometimes, this could actually be a good thing, too. There’s been a time or two when I’ve completely lost the thread of my writing and had to start over. And often, the end product is much better than the original.
So, to get past your writers block, use any combination of the ways listed above to try to break through it. Some of these work better than others, and some may be best used as a last resort. But what ever you do… don’t let writers block put you in a “production block.” And that’s another whole topic… 
Do you have other ideas on things that you do to get the words out when you’re experiencing writers block? I’d love to hear some of them… Please share in the comments. This will help all of us to win the nagging battle of being stuck in writers block!
 Rosalind is the author of this blog and the founder of the 10K Inner Circle. She's an expert trainer on blogging and internet marketing, and a sought after speaker among her business peers. She also builds a successful network marketing business. If you enjoyed reading this post, be sure to get more tips here. |
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