Dear readers,
I am writing to you today with a problem. A problem that I'm sure you've all faced at least once in your life. If you haven't, you're either lying or I am extremely jealous. This problem that I'm referring to is the ever so lovely writer's block. You know, that feeling where you have a deadline coming up in less than two hours and know that you need to think of an article topic and write it ASAP, but all you can do is stare at your computer screen, mindlessly. It is one of the most frustrating feelings in the world, especially when you are a writer. And naturally, since it is a writing problem, there is no magic 'one size fits all' approach to curing writer's block. So outside of getting all 'meta' and writing an article about it like I am to avoid actually thinking of a new topic, which most of you don't have the option to do, there are other ways to at least manage your writer's block that I would like to share with you lucky readers.
One of the first ways to deal with writer's block is to take some time away from your writing or thinking about your writing and give your mind a little breather. Forcing yourself to sit there and write something when you really have squat isn't very helpful or productive. You need to take a little, but not so long that you're procrastinating, break to free your mind and those creative juices flowing. For those of you who are more active, it's said that exercise or other forms of physical activity are great ways to do just this. So go ahead, take a walk or do some jumping jacks--whatever it is you kids do these days--just as long as your freeing your mind and getting your blood pumping. For you non-physical folks, like me, there are plenty of other options. You could try listening to some music, watching some TV or a movie, reading, talking to/spending time with friends, resting, or playing a fun game. And who knows, maybe during your break you'll finally find some of that inspiration you've been yearning for. After all, inspiration can come from anywhere, especially when you least expect it.
Another important tip for helping with writer's block is to eliminate distractions. When you are writing, or rather typing, on a computer, it is very easy to be distracted by, well, pretty much anything and everything on your computer. That doesn't even account for other outside distractions that are otherwise known as your phone, the TV, and other human beings. While it may be impossible to block out all of these--believe me, I've tried--there are ways to get around them. First, mute or turn off the TV and do the same for your cell phone. Try writing at times when you know you'll be alone and not distracted by friends or family members. You could also try listening to some non-distracting music with those big, noise-canceling headphones while you are writing. Or, if you're more of a serious writer, something that I've recently tried is downloading one of those computer programs, such as ZenWriter or Ommwriter, that allow you to focus solely on your writing.
The most important of these tips, however, is to just start writing. It doesn't have to be good writing, just as long as you are actually putting words and ideas to paper. If you don't like what you've written, you can always go back and revise it to say what you really want to say. This way, even though it may not seem like it, you are making progress. Even if your first draft of whatever it is you have written is a total stinker and you decide to write about something else entirely, at least now you know that and can get started on your new idea or approach sooner rather than wasting time not writing your original idea. If I hadn't done this step, this article never would've gotten written. I would still be staring at my brother's computer screen with a blank page and a blinking cursor to remind me of it. It doesn't have to be a rough draft either. This writing can be something as simple as brainstorming ideas in bullet points or even just a freewrite on whatever topic your little heart desires. Like I said before, all that matters is that you are getting your ideas out there and putting the, in this case figurative, pen to paper. That is the only true way to overcome writer's block.
Sincerely,
A Once-Blocked Writer
