As a writer, you have these moments in your career when you just can’t seem to put words to paper or find the right inspiration to write; this is popularly called “writer’s block”. The fact is that lots of writers worldwide are experiencing the same issue.
The duration of this sort of mental inactivity cannot be predicted, while for some writers it can be for a short period, for others it could last longer than they expected it to. Stress from life’s challenges, family life, work, and all of that can make one have a period of blockage and this can affect their creativity and productivity.
This does not necessarily mean that the writer has lost the ability to create or write, it is rather a moment of lack of clarity on what to do and how to proceed.
In this blog, we discuss 5 practical ways to overcome one’s writer’s block.
- Identify the Source of the Block:
The causes of most blocks that writers encounter are often easy to identify. It ranges from stress, challenges, family issues, and a few others that are peculiar to individual writers.
Knowing what is responsible for one’s creative inactivity is a step toward finding the solution.
- Change Scenery:
Having identified the source of the block, it is important to disconnect from such an environment for a certain duration. Go for a walk at a park, go for a swim, go hiking, just try and change your environment for a while.
One of the best ways to resolve issues that have to do with mental blockage in writing is to see a new environment. A new view will bring inspiration and motivation to continue the project at hand.
- Read:
This validates the popular saying that “readers are leaders”; the easiest way to gain inspiration and knowledge is by reading new materials, old ones, and unrelated ones at some point. When there is a block while on a project or writing task, it is advisable to pick up books within the genre of your project or task(s) and study them for more insights. Doing this will open your mind and expand your view of what is before you and how to escape that mental block.
- Write Anything, Write other Genres:
These moments of lack of motivation should not be characterized by inactivity. When the needed ideas are not springing forth, diversify into writing something unrelated to find new ways to do what you are doing.
To do this, you must understand that you are always a writer and what you do best is writing. Deviating and writing other genres and on other topics is a good way to stir up your creativity.
Most times, when a writer has a mental block, it is on a specific topic and not entirely the lack of writing ability. That is why we advise that you distract yourself from the major focus and redirect your energy into writing something else.
- Make an Outline:
An outline is a plan of what you are writing on. It will give you direction and guide you through the writing process. When you have a writing plan or outline, it will be easier to switch from one part where you are experiencing a block in your writing to another aspect of the project or task.
Conclusion
Writer’s block is a state of mind that can be won over with the application of effective strategies. Writers undergoing this phase in their career must always understand that no matter how long it stays, it is only temporary and not permanent.
The steps shared in this blog post have helped many writers overcome this state of mental block.