Writing is an excellent way to express your creativity or get the point across. Unfortunately, the truth is that whether you are writing a novel or an argumentative essay, you are bound to run into times when you just can't think of what to say next. This unfortunate phenomenon is known as writer's block.
Sometimes, writer's block comes and goes of its own accord. Sometimes, though, we don't have the time or patience to sit and wait for it to go away. So, what can you do? Today, we are going to look at 7 tips and tricks you can use to overcome writer's block.
1. Go for a Walk
As we said before, sometimes writer's block goes away of its own accord. Waiting for days at a time is a little much for most writers but you should at least give yourself a chance to get past it simply.
A big part of writer's block is the pressure and the feeling of being overwhelmed by having or wanting to write. To give yourself time to relax, go for a walk. Step away from your laptop and try not to think about your writing for a few moments. You might just find you come back with a new perspective.
2. Try to Eliminate Distractions
Another thing you can try to do if you want to keep writing is to try and eliminate distractions. This can be hard, in the modern age, but really give it a shot. For instance, disconnect your laptop from the internet if you can and turn your phone off for a few hours. Focus solely on your writing for a while and see if that lifts the fog.
3. Just Write
Maya Angelou had a strategy just to write when she got blocked. Her idea was that she didn't have to write a masterpiece or even anything good but that she should just write. The idea was that she never stopped and, eventually, something great would come out of the nonsense she was writing. Don't worry about writing your novel or a college assignment, just write for the sake of writing. Try to understand the reason why you have a writer's block.
You might feel frustrated about completing an essay because you don't have enough motivation to do it. For example, you need to learn how to write a movie review. What if you don't like movies and you know for sure you will never need this skill in your future life? In this case, you can ask someone to help you with writing. Contact an essay service and get a custom essay tailored to your needs or ask your friend to consult you on the topic.
4. Do Something Else Creative
Sometimes you need to get your creative juices flowing without the pressure of writing something. This is why it can sometimes help to take a break from writing and do something else creative. You could scrapbook, play an instrument, or anything you can think of to step away from writing but still keep thinking creatively.
This sounds like it's unrelated but getting the blood flowing can help to get your mind working as well. It's easy to get caught with writer's block if we are feeling sluggish. If you take the time to take a run or hit the gym for a half hour or hour, you might find that thinking about where to go next with your writing comes easier.
If you are really stuck, you should try starting over. By this, we mean that you should read your writing from the beginning and try to see, with fresh eyes, where it should go next. As you read, feel free to make marks in the margins on changes that need to be made. For many people, printouts work better than reading their work on a screen.
7. Write Somewhere Else
Sometimes writer's block can be caused by the mundaneness of the world around us. So, change it up a bit! If you work in an office in your home, try taking your work somewhere else. A local coffee shop, outside, the library, anywhere that will give you a change of scenery.
