You’re staring at the computer. The Word document in front of you is blank. You type three words, then delete them. You go get a glass of water, hoping that when you return, the words will flow.
But they don’t.
Whether your job requires you to write on a regular basis or you write in your free time, writer’s block is a frustrating experience. If you’re struggling to get words on the page, here are a few ideas to consider:
1. Take a break. Continuing to stare at the screen is only going to frustrate you further. So, take a break. Go for a walk, clean your office, run some errands.
2. Sleep on it. No, don’t go take a nap, but if your deadline allows, set aside the project for a day while you work on other tasks. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve woken up with a great headline or a fun way to begin a story.
3. Meditate. Admittedly, I’ve never had the patience to meditate. I wish I did. But for some people, meditation brings peace and calm, and clears clutter from the brain.
4. De-clutter. It can be hard to focus on your work when your desk is messy and your office is a disaster zone.
5. Write something else. Most likely, the block you’re experiencing is connected to one particular project. And the fact that you’re struggling with it is driving you crazy and making you question your abilities. So, remind yourself that you’re a good writer. Go write something else and then come back to this project. It doesn’t have to be a work project. Write a blog post, a short story or a poem. Anything that gets those creative juices flowing again.
6. Give yourself a break. Don’t be so hard on yourself! Writer’s block happens to everyone. Work through it, and make a mental note of how you conquered it.
Some good tips, thank you! I think I will try #5 with my very next school paper – where I always struggle to get the juices flowing. Maybe I’ll try starting with a simple facebook post, or even a reply to a blog post such as this, before starting my papers. Wish me luck!