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Let’s set the scene…
You’ve been watching TV and passively thinking about ideas for the blog post, or story you’d like to write…
After relaxing for a while and trying to tell yourself to stop procrastinating, you finally get up and go sit at the computer…
You open a blank Word document…
And you forget what you were going to write.
THIS LITERALLY JUST HAPPENED HERE.
Last night, my fiancé and I were sitting in our office while I worked on my Pinterest. He sat up a little straighter, and had an excited look about him. He had just come up with an idea for his next blog post.
We talked about his idea back and forth, as he brainstormed five tips to include in his post, and he decided he’d write it tomorrow, as it was pretty late.
This morning, he was relaxing and watching some TV while I worked on my stuff again. When I decided to take a break and go take a bath, he entered the office, primed with his plan in mind. He’d been going over the five points, and thinking about what he’d say for each.
As soon as he sat down at the laptop, he blanked.
Raise your hand if this has ever happened to you! ✋
Fortunately for him, since we’d been talking about this post jointly, he was able to come to me and ask for help remembering the five points.
And thus… my post idea was borne. Allow me to teach you my top five tips for dealing with writer’s block!
Take to someone about your ideas.
This doesn’t have to be your significant other. It can be a friend, your mom, or a coworker. I do recommend it be someone you trust, though. Throwing your raw ideas out into the world for anyone to pilfer might not be the best way to go about this one. I can’t imagine the horror of having an idea that brings you so much joy to bring to your readers stolen.
If you know the person you’re talking to is actually paying attention, chances are they may remember the points you wanted to make. However, if they’re like me and don’t have the best memory, they can at least help you trace your conversational steps, and you can work together to remember the ideas you discussed!
Hopefully the end result will be much like ours! He’s writing the post now!
Keep a notebook on hand to record your ideas.
You don’t need to write everything longhand, but keeping a notebook around allows you to jot down ideas as they come to you. Writing out the entire paragraph you’re imagining isn’t necessary, but do make sure you write more than “post about writer’s block.” Otherwise, you won’t have any clue what you meant when you reread it!
Having multiple notebooks can be handy in this way. Some people prefer to use their phone, but I’ve tried that myself and realized I just never think to go back and look at my Notes app. You can keep a notebook in the bedroom, the living room, the car, your purse, or even at work.
ALLLLLLLL THE NOTEBOOKS!
How often do you wake up and remember that just as you were drifting to sleep the night before, you had an idea for the perfect opening line, or the entire climax of your story? Too often, I’m sure. I know I’d had this experience many times, and I used to send myself text messages to remember the idea.
Unfortunately, my text messages in the almost-asleep state usually looked like gibberish, and autocorrect did me no favours.
I am now a supporter of having a physical notebook on the bedside table, just in case. If I need to sit up, turn the lamp on, and physically write it down, I know it’ll read more coherently.
Take a walk to clear your mind.
Overthinking can have a significant impact on creativity. Rather than staring at the blank page and letting your anxiety increase, walk away. Walk to the coffee shop and grab a drink, or walk to the store and get one of your favourite snacks. Do something that will bring you a little dose of joy and serotonin, while getting some fresh air at the same time.
Inspiration also comes in droves from the outdoors. Consider foregoing your usual podcast or audiobook, and pay full attention to your surroundings.
Listen to the birds chirping; the children playing. Smell the freshly mown grass, or the crisp autumn air. Examine the colours of the leaves, or the fresh white snow. Feed your senses, and feed your soul.
I promise, you’ll feel refreshed when you return to the task at hand.
Do some free-writing.
Free-writing, or stream of consciousness, is an amazing way to feel productive when you’re stuck on the idea you intended to work on. I’m currently doing The Artists Way, and the daily morning pages are doing wonders for me to get my thoughts cleared up first thing in the morning.
If you don’t know what to write, literally write down “I don’t know what to write.” Keep the narrative going. It doesn’t have to make sense, or follow a planned plot, or even be coherent sentences— it just need to come from within. Word vomit is completely okay, and even encouraged.
When you’ve exhausted all of your distracting thoughts and feelings onto the page, try again to begin what you set out to write.
Acknowledge writer’s block for what it often is: fear.
It’s not always about simply having forgotten your idea. Many of us have our entire plot penned out so we can sit down and get writing.
Yet, when we go to do so, we freeze.
Quit doubting yourself when this happens. This doesn’t mean that you’re not a good writer, or that it isn’t the right time.
Our subconscious minds do not want change. They want things to remain status quo. Making the effort to do something different is an attack on that subconscious mindset— particularly if you know that writing will feel like a huge accomplishment for you. Making effort, and making change, threatens our casual, coasting existence.
When this happens, acknowledge it. Thank your subconscious mind for trying to protect you, but make sure to tell it that you’re in control and want this to happen. Say these things out loud— it packs way more of a punch than just thinking it.
Each of these tips for dealing with writer’s block has helped me out at one time or another, so don’t get discouraged if you try one or two and they don’t work. Remember as well that just because going for a walk worked last time, there’s no need to be discouraged if it doesn’t work the next time. Everyone’s creative process is different, and you may need try a variety of things to get the creative juices going.
The important thing is that you keep trying. As long as you’re showing up, you’re succeeding.
Let me know what you think of these tips in the comments below! Do you have any other ways of dealing with the dreaded writer’s block?
If you know someone else struggling with this, please share this post with them! You can also get some bonus tips and tricks by signing up for my email list.
It’s a good day to have a good day. ❤️