One of the most difficult things about being a writer is, well, writing. As vague or ridiculous as that sounds, it’s unfortunately true. I sincerely wish I had the cure to the writer’s block epidemic but sadly, I am also struggling with it just like you. Even if you have the entire piece thought out and ready, sitting down and writing or typing it out suddenly seems impossible. Of course, there are a few days when the inspiration hits hard and you just want to spend hours writing. However, those days are very few and far between so here’s some advice for those of you coming down with the Writer’s Block™.
1. Get Journals
One of the best things you can do for yourself as a writer is to get a journal. Personally, I own three—two of which are completely filled with story ideas. Story plots can come to you out of nowhere and having that little journal in your purse, backpack, or pocket can be a serious lifesaver. Of course, it doesn’t just have to be filled with raw story ideas: you can put in character descriptions, plot points, random ideas about stories that you think would work well, etcetera, etcetera. All in all, whether they’re big or small, journals are probably one of the best tools at a writer’s disposal. Think about getting yours today!
2. Jot Down Sections of the Storyline
As mentioned briefly before, writing or typing random sections of your plot can really help further along your novel. Sometimes you have a really great idea in your head but can’t think where it’ll fit or haven’t figured out how you’ll get to that point in the story. But writing it down and having it at the ready can help you develop that point in the story.
3. Type and Write
For me, when I sit down with the intention of writing on my computer and I end up hitting a wall, I automatically open Google Chrome to browse the Internet. Distractions are everywhere on your computer, so sometimes it helps to close your laptop and crack open a notebook. Maybe it’s just a short story which is fairly easy to start, but if you’re working on a novel, it might not be as easy. Personally, I would probably start with rewriting the chapter you’re currently working on and then go from there. You’d be surprised how much you’ll write without all the distractions of the Internet.
4. Force Yourself to Write
A lot of the time, when we sit down to write, we’re doing so without really wanting to and suddenly become distracted by literally everything else. Even when we’ve opened our document and have glared at the screen for a few minutes or maybe an hour, we eventually find ourselves moving on to the next task or just completely giving up. However, the best thing to do at times like these is to power through it. I know it might sound impossible, but hear me out! When you feel like you have absolutely nothing to say or nothing awesome to add to that story, force yourself to write even one sentence. It can seriously make all the difference. Plus, even when you think that one sentence is total trash, you can always change it! On the days where you could just write for hours, you’ll be seriously happy you wrote that one sentence that one day because you can always make it better or, when inspiration strikes, you’ll have that sentence to start you off on that writing streak. It’s amazing the power one line of words can have. Trust me.
5. Bounce Your Story Ideas Off Other People
When you’ve started writing that story you’ve wanted to start for decades or you’re just in a bit of a slump, talking out your story plot with other people—or to yourself—really helps. You might sound a bit crazy while you talk about your own story to yourself, but it might help answer or raise questions you normally wouldn’t have caught to begin with: talking with other people helps with that as well. It’s always best to go to someone who you trust—a really close friend, a family member, or maybe even a professor. I’m not trying to insinuate everyone in the world is out to steal your ideas, but you’ll usually feel more comfortable talking to someone you already know and someone who understands how important writing is to you. They will definitely help a lot.
6. Plan Everything Out
Starting out a huge project like a novel raw won’t always turn out well. It’s always best to have your storyline planned out, even to the last detail. Some things like plot twists or the personalities of one of your characters will come while you’re writing, but figuring out timelines, who your main character(s) will be, what the climax is, who your villains are, etcetera, etcetera, should be planned before you open that notebook or start a new document. It’s important you know what’s going to happen before your readers do.
7. Listen to Music
It doesn’t matter what you listen to, just as long as it gets you inspired and in the mood to start writing. For me, I listen mostly to classical music because it relaxes me and really gets my brain going. But music doesn’t just help you get into the groove of writing: if you find that right piece, it could inspire a whole scene in your book. And when you get to that scene in your book, listen to that song on repeat. I cannot tell you how many songs have done this for me and it had worked wonders. Knowing the beat of that specific point in your story will make you churn that gold out like there’s no tomorrow. So, you make that playlist on YouTube or Spotify because it will do you a whole world of good.
8. Never Throw Away/Delete Anything
This has become my cardinal rule when it comes to writing. It is so crucial for you to keep everything you write. Even if you write down an idea in your journal you don’t think is good, keep it! If you’ve written short stories, even for a class, don’t throw them away. I can’t tell you how important it is to keep anything and everything you’ve ever written. I know memory on your computer is limited, so even if you write the idea of the story down, it’s better than not having anything at all. That short story could become your next novel. That rough idea you wrote in your journal could be modified and made into something great. My point here is to never get rid of anything! Even if you think it’s absolute trash and nothing will ever come out of it, hold on to it so you can have it for the future, just in case. It’s so important for you to keep anything you’ve ever written because you never know what will come out of it.