Dealing With Writer’s Block

We as writers are humans as well, and it means we are not excused from getting into a bad situation, feeling state, or circumstance. Being not excused to these elements of life, we are prone to getting tired of work, and getting overly extracted since our main resource is our brain that tries to think well. That feeling of despair, idealism, loss of ideas, scarcity of inspiration, and lack of concentration—these we all know as the writer’s block/s.

Dealing with writer’s block can be tricky and too subjective in approach, but practically, some methods just work well to virtually everyone who tries to write out of tune. Below are some ways that you can try to getting over writer’s block, and even help you get back into that creative state of yours.

1. Don’t throw yourself in too much

The first common mistake writers may encounter is the thought that they are what they writing, i.e., they identify themselves with their write-ups. It is true that our writings reflect our deepest thoughts and aspirations, feelings, beliefs, attitude, and perspective, but that’s all. Do not let your writing define who you are because if so, you’ll lock yourself up when you run out of words to write about.

Knowing that you are not your writing means that you can separate yourself from the ‘chore.’ Take a break, do something else—these are just a few of what you can do to pull yourself back together.

2. …but be at peace.

Any creative process essentially requires a certain kind of freedom so that the assets can flow seamlessly and without difficulty. How about you set yourself free? This means you must keep a space within yourself that is not to be distracted by your bills, your dog barking outside, and any other worries that will put you off from that creative state. Simply dedicate that space to what you are writing, and simply enjoy it.

3. Be on the right condition.

Eat right, sleep right, and don’t overthink. What you eat—and what time you eat—is vital to the exercise of your brain, and so is a healthy dose of sleep. Studies show that sweets and carbohydrates are strong relaxants to your brain, causing you to feel sleepy and making you lose concentration easily. You may want to take in more liquids as well, as hydration is a key element to making your brain work right.

If you feel sleepy, it’s best not to force yourself to the point of drinking a strong cup of coffee. The best cure for sleepiness is sleep, and do it with moderation and rhythm.

4. Take notes first.

One of the biggest reasons why most writers end up writing nothing is simply because they are not armed with a good amount of information. If you are writing a novel, you may want to bring along a notepad with you so that when a pretty idea strikes, you are just ready to record them.

If your writing requires a certain amount of actual information, how about you research them and take even a quick study? List down all the elements—even just words—to remind you of what you have read or what the idea is behind, and freely jot them down as notes. Learn and list as much information as you can so that you will avoid the need to go back to your favourite library or site.

After gathering information, you may want to start with dirty drafts containing outlines of a story, sequence of events, or manner of presentation. Now, at least, you know what’s next when you’re already in the middle of writing.

5. Don’t be a perfectionist.

When you start getting too idealistic, simple typographical or spelling errors would annoy you, and you just want to get back and fix them. This can really trouble you as this will take you out of your concentration bit by bit. As long as a word is legible, let it be until you’re done.

The key to maximizing a spark of inspiration in the creative process of writing is to just write no matter what. Keep writing without getting distracted of errors and even the structure, and when you’re done and when you’ve extracted everything an inspiration has given you, then you are free to get back and fix them one by one.

Don’t be afraid to start with drafts no matter how dirty and nasty they may look. The more important thing here is to get concentrated, and without that, going back to your errors won’t really bring you anywhere.

6. Just Write.

I’ve given you a glimpse of what this tip is all about, but I would love to pour in more details here. Just-writing means that you don’t have to really start at the first paragraph. In fact, when an idea fits better in the middle of the story, take note of them! In this way, you won’t miss a good idea, and you can simply sort them out when you’re ready.

Sometimes also, when you don’t feel creative, don’t you know that you can still write? How about you start writing what you feel, or simply ‘keep talking.’ Sometimes, this works as it may incredibly reveal something you least expect.

7. Follow your pace.

If you are really creative, you must recognize that you have a very special way of doing your things. This include the pace which you hold to complete a project or art. In writing, you’ve got to follow your pace, and this means you don’t have to hurry.

If deadlines are given, do the necessary things at once like researching, taking notes, asking questions, etc. Remember, you cannot force creativity out of yourself if it is not yet designed to be there at once. Creativity is a process and the only choice you have is to swim along with it, but without losing the vision of your plan or goal.

8. Do not anticipate the block.

Probably the best way to do it is not to anticipate it. If the writer’s block has happened to you yesterday, do not expect it to happen today. Part of ‘not expecting’ is that you must put that thought or feeling away immediately. Do not imagine that you’re already there because if you do so, then you are already there!

Take a breath every day especially when you wake up that you are really refreshed and ready, that the weather is great and that the food you take is heavenly. If you find it hard, how about putting a good piece of music, or doing something else creative or that which you love? By putting yourself in the right shoe, you will be amazed at how distant you already are without you even noticing!