Whether you’re sitting down to write a research paper, a creative short story, or a post for your personal blog, it’s likely you may experience the uncomfortable writer’s block. Writer’s block seems to happen at any and all stages of the writing process, and when you experience this feeling, you may not initially know what to do. If you ever find yourself stuck, know that there are ways to overcome writer’s block. Here are eight ways to help beat writer's block:

1. Go to your favorite coffee shop.

Get your favorite drink (and maybe a pastry, too), and bring your writing with you. If you find the atmosphere of a coffee shop to be relaxing, then this may help fuel inspiration for you.

2. Take a 20-30 minute break to read or watch an episode of your favorite show on Netflix.

When experiencing writer’s block, it can be easy to get frustrated. Being able to take a break can take your mind off of being stuck and can instead allow you to think while doing an activity that you enjoy.

3. Get out a notebook and start writing down any and all ideas that you can think of.

Doing this can allow yourself to brainstorm without the pressure of definitely picking a topic. You can brainstorm a certain number of ideas or for a certain amount of time.

4. Think about what you would enjoy reading.

You can adjust your writing for your target audience. As you start writing, ask yourself, “If I was a part of the intended audience, would I find this interesting or enjoyable to read?”

5. Ask others for inspiration.

There is no need to be ashamed of writer’s block. Looking to close friends or family members to gather ideas can be beneficial. You can gain insight into what they’re interested in, and you may realize that you feel the same way about a subject.

6. If you’re writing a blog post or an article, search the Internet for ideas.

There are thousands of websites that provide writers with ideas for their posts. Seeing what ideas others have come up with could help you develop more ideas to write about.

7. Write about something that you enjoy in your life.

Sometimes, it can seem like all of the articles, papers, and posts that we publish have to be relevant to other people. However, you can make these ideas your own. If you are able, write about something that you personally find interesting. You never know who might feel the same.

8. Don’t give up easily.

You’ve written many papers and articles before, and this one just seems to be giving you a little more trouble. However, you are a talented writer, and giving up will not help the process. Continue developing your ideas.

Writer’s block can affect us all. With the right mindset and with some determination, we can overcome this feeling and continue to write.