So you’re a self-published author, and you’ve been struggling with writer’s block. You stare at the blank page for hours on end, but nothing comes to mind. The words just don’t want to form. You might be tempted to give up, but don’t despair – there are ways to defeat writer’s block and get your writing back on track.
Every writer faces bouts of writer’s block at some point, but there are ways to overcome it. In this post, we’ll share some tips on how to defeat writer’s block and get your writing juices flowing again.
So grab a pen and paper (or your laptop) and let’s get started!
The Best Ways To Avoid Writer’s Block
Every writer encounters a moment where they have no idea what to write next. This is often referred to as Writer’s Block and can be a struggle for even the most seasoned of writers. However, there are some tips to help those who may be struggling with this issue.
1: Don’t Attempt to Beat the Whole Block at once
The first tip is to not try to defeat the whole block at once. Writer’s block is like a wild animal, when cornered it can become violent and dangerous. If writer’s block feels threatened, it will do anything in its power to defeat you; this includes not allowing you to write anything else in the future.
The best way around writer’s block is to defeat it one bite at a time.
One bite would be one word or sentence, defeat that part of the block and you’ll defeat the whole block for now. If writer’s block tries to attack after you defeat one block, defeat another block right away. Do not let it rest; the longer you wait to defeat blocks, the more aggressive it will become.
If there is any time left in the article after defeating block one and defeating block two, defeat as many small blocks as possible before moving on to defeat larger blocks. The beauty of getting only one line or word at a time is that you’ll defeat writer’s block much faster than expected. After defeating writer’s block in smaller parts, defeat the bigger blocks one bite at a time.
Tip 2: Take a Break from Writing
It can sometimes be helpful to stop writing for an extended period of time. Writer’s Block is often the result of writers trying to push themselves too hard, or thinking about it too much. By allowing yourself to take a break from writing, you may become excited by your topic again when you return to it.
This is a good and simple strategy to overcome writer’s block. Make some coffee in the kitchen and come back with a strong sense of energy and fresh coffee.
Tip 3: Read Someone Else’s Work
Rather than writing about your own topic, pick up a book or read some articles. Immerse yourself in another person’s ideas and then return to your own work with fresh eyes. This can help you reconnect with your topic in a new way and overcome writer’s block.
Tip 4: Try Another Writing Format
There are many types of writing styles, including poetry, plays, and short stories. You may find that writing in a different format helps with your writer’s block. Switching up the way you write can be a great way to break through Writer’s Block.
Feeling positive? Here are some more easy-peasy tips to follow.
Tip 5: Write about Your Writing Process
It is often helpful to write about why you are having trouble writing. This can help you get beyond your writer’s block. The act of writing about writing may also become easier once you start doing it regularly, which will allow you to move on from this issue.
Tip 6: Find a Writer’s Group
Writing groups are a great way to meet people who share your love of writing and understand what you are going through. This is also a good place to get support and encouragement. Plus, you are more likely to participate in writing activities if this is something that you do with other people.
Tip 7: If You Still Can’t Move Forward, Walk Away for a While
If none of these tips work for you and your writer’s block persists, it may be helpful to put your work on hold by taking a long break from it. While this is not ideal, sometimes writer’s block just refuses to be defeated. So if you are struggling with an idea for too long it might be best to do something else for a while and then come back to it later.
If none of these tips work for you and your writer’s block persists, it may be helpful to put your work on hold by taking a long break from it. While this is not ideal, sometimes writer’s block just refuses to be defeated. So if you are struggling with an idea for too long it might be best to do something else for a while and then come back to it later.
Tip 8: If You Have Nothing To Write, Write Anyway
When I was a student, my teachers used to say:
“If you have nothing to write, write anyway and keep going on until you do.”
This is a very helpful tip to get rid of writer’s block. I don’t know where they got this from, but I’ve always used it because it has worked for me in school and at work.
If you have nothing to write, even if it’s just a few sentences or a paragraph, just start writing. Later on, you can improve it and make it better. Trying to come up with something creative when I’m in the middle of a project is hard for me, so I always write whatever comes to mind. As long as it’s something and not zero, go on and keep typing!
If you keep coming up with words like “the,” “and,” “I,” or “a,” it means you’re a little closer to a good sentence. After a while, the words will start to come more easily and you’ll be able to get back into your project.
What’s the bottom line?
Another best way to defeat writer’s block is writing without thinking about it. Forget about quality, don’t even think about your next sentence until you’ve written the first one.
What Helped me overcome Writer’s Block?
Talking about what is bothering me and using this experience as inspiration for writing has sometimes helped me get over my writer’s block. Maybe you could try inviting your friends to join in on the conversation since they might have input that can help push through it.
Writer’s block is something that several people deal with on a regular basis. Sometimes it becomes so bad that the words just don’t want to come to mind. Have you ever tried talking about what is bothering you, whether it be in person or writing, and then used this experience as inspiration for your writing? If not, it might be worth trying. Maybe you could even invite your friends to join in on the conversation since they might have input that helps push through the writer’s block. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Wrapping Up
I tried to go the extra mile to provide some basic tips to defeat writer’s block. It is important to remember that Writer’s Block may be a reaction from pushing yourself too hard or thinking about it too much. By allowing yourself to take a break from writing, you may become excited by your topic again when you return to it.
Writer’s block can sometimes be helped by taking different approaches with writing, such as switching up the way you write or finding an encouraging group of people who share your love of writing. If none of these tips work for you and your writer’s block persists, it may be helpful to put your work on hold by taking a long break from it.