Writer’s block. Two words that encapsulate a merciless and piercing frustration-two words that epitomize the absolute bane of every writer’s existence.To non-writers, this most likely sounds like a grossly hyperbolic description. But anyone with a past or present in writing should know the extent to which writer’s block taunts and torments the mind. We all experience it differently. A novelist comes to a complete standstill trying to write a conclusion to their book. A journalist is stuck trying to figure out a topic interesting enough to report on. A poet is simply unable to find the right words to convey the intricacy of their emotions. One aspect is the same throughout, however: these authors are left in anguish, forced to agonize over concepts that have yet to be devised. The immense pressure one feels to merely produce writing, which is then emboldened by the excruciating frustration of not being able to effectively express oneself for the time being, can really eat away at a writer. When a person’s compulsions to articulate their ideas and feelings are repressed, it becomes more than just a temporary loss of ability to communicate via their medium of choice. There are potentially extraordinary thoughts and ideas that are extinguished before they ever have the chance to be brought to life. While many perceive writer’s block as a complete lack of inspiration or capacity to create worthwhile content, I see it as an obstruction in the flow of a writer’s insight. What this means is that writer’s block isn’t simply becoming void of good ideas. It’s when a feature of a writer’s environment or an inadvertent stagnation in their mentality prevents the author from being able to properly allow certain ideas to manifest. Any creative person’s brain constantly has new ideas swimming and amalgamating in it’s depths. But sometimes, certain circumstances impede on the ability for writers to release these ideas from the dormancy of their subconscious, causing them to feel helplessly bereft of their means of expression, and often times utterly desperate to get it back.

When I’ve suffered from writer’s block in the past, I was compelled to check the Internet for solutions, as you do. Oddly enough, I didn’t find much helpful. In fact, I disagreed with the majority of what I read. Most articles basically suggested that I should continue to “trust the writing process” and have faith that ideas will come to me if I just wait. Maybe write bullet points reiterating what I already have, in the hopes that it will spur something new. Sleep on it, and hope that I wake up with something better. Get a glass of water (?). Go for a walk (??). Personally, none of the suggestions I saw resonated with me whatsoever. The purpose they did serve, however, is that they made me realize I should do the polar opposite. I feel like in order to conquer writer’s block, you need address it by actively looking to change your perspective, not by passively allowing an obviously stale or ineffective perspective to continue acting as your primary influence. The goal of overcoming writer’s block is to liberate the suppressed ideas, not continue to ignore them. We want to extricate them from wherever they’re entangled, not overlook them. The goal should be to reroute your approach to writing and releasing your budding ideas, so that they can be further developed, and ultimately better expressed. It’d be tragic to leave a great idea burrowed in one’s mind, and never allow it to evolve to its full potential. So, without further ado, here are 5 ways to actively defeat writer’s block, by generating new perspectives:

1. Free-write

Take some time to write absolutely anything that comes to your mind. You may be surprised to find that you've actually written something that opens a new realm in your mind or exposes a new way of looking at things.

2. Have intelligent conversations with new people

It may shock you to find that you have become complacent with the boundaries of your own mind, and have become limited by a single perspective without even realizing. Talking to different people with varying points of view may allow you to break through whatever has been inhibiting your writing.

3. Read books and watch movies you usually wouldn't

Inspiration can be derived from the most unexpected areas. Sometimes just reading and watching a different type of content than you're used will cause new parts of your brain to light up, and fuel a new frame of reference.

4. Go out of your way to look at sources that normally go against your way of thinking

A lot of times, good ideas are trapped inside of your brain because of stubbornness. When you become accustomed to a single way of looking at things, you lose an ability to be open minded, which not only causes you to lose certain dimensions in your writing, but stifles creative thought as a whole.

5. Start taking risks in your daily life

While this may seem like a bit too much effort to put into overcoming writer's block, it may be one of the most crucial steps. By taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone more regularly, you will start to experience the world around you differently, and you may run into a new viewpoint that helps your writing tremendously.

6. Be impulsive and random

Disclaimer: don't do anything potentially dangerous or downright stupid. But, do go out and do things that may be a little crazy. Act on your spur of the moment ideas and feed into your impulses. You may be shocked to find that this supposably random idea you had actually held a key into your subconscious thoughts and will inspire your writing at new lengths!

7. Focus on introspection

If all else fails, focus on looking deeply into your own psyche, specifically the parts you would normally avoid. The more you unearth about yourself, the more you'll be able to uncover about the world around you through your writing.