Writer’s block is depressing.
Seriously, it is the worst. Maybe you have experienced mini bouts of it before, but this is your first serious case of it.
You have no inspiration, no new ideas. The very stories you were excited about tower over you, as insurmountable as Everest.
Worst of all—you begin wondering, “Maybe I’m not actually a writer.”
Not true at all! Don’t believe it for a minute. Inspiration and creativity come in waves. Writer’s block is just the ebb, or trough, of these waves. It is natural and normal. Surfing these waves can be difficult, however, especially when you only recently jumped into writing.
Every writer is different, and so is every case of writer’s block. Here are eight methods to try as you are surfing the waves of inspiration. Use these tips in any order, try them out randomly, or experiment with combinations.
1. The Tidbit Method
Just try working on your story five minutes a day. Persuade yourself to just get a teeny, tiny bit done every day. It doesn’t have to be amazing quality—it just needs to be there.
2. The Just Have Fun Method
Let loose and relax! Try writing something purely for fun—maybe a side project you’ve been thinking about for a while. Do the part of writing that you enjoy most—perhaps the character profiles, the clothing design, or the backstory development. Maybe create a Pinterest board for each character.
3. The Airport Planner Method
If you enjoy the listing and researching side of your story, this is for you. Start researching story information, plotting the story ahead, or developing the world around the story. The key is, don’t worry about writing the story. Just focus on researching the structure of the story itself.
4. The Caffeine Jolt Method
Watch a show or read a book that inspires you and gets you into your creative space. Maybe from an author who you admire (or envy) and wish you could be like. (Caffeine is not required, but it definitely gives you a boost.) Then, write as fast as you can with the inspiration you received from the show, book, and/or caffeine you just absorbed.
5. The Talking Method
Try filming a short video or explaining your story to someone. Tell them about your story. You can pretend you’re pitching your plot to a film director. This will remind you of how truly fascinating your story is—and how no one can write it except for you!
6. The Shot in the Dark Method
Write random scenes from different parts of the story. Try writing the ending scene, outline a fun fight scene, or sketch out a dramatic bit of dialogue. Chances are, you might just be stuck on a boring part of your story.
7. The New Place, New Me Method
Switch up your surroundings or your method. You can try going to a new place like a library or coffee shop. You could also try taking a walk and outlining your story out loud on a voice memo or video. Or just try a new method, like writing on paper instead of on your computer, or using a different font (Comic Sans always gets my brain in a relaxed and unserious mood).
8. The Creative Consumer Method
Give up writing, and just read. I’m serious. When the writer’s block is proving hard to budge, go back to your roots as a writer and read. You first loved writing because you loved reading. So read. Consume as many books from as many different genres as you can. Sci fi, romance, history, science. But do not get hooked on bingeing shows. This will put your brain into passive consumption, instead of the active consumption of reading.
And there you have it! Eight tips for overcoming writer’s block. These helped me when I first went through a serious bout of writer’s block.
But remember—sometimes writer’s block is simply being tired or busy. You are human, after all. If you have hefty school or work projects or you haven’t been sleeping well, give yourself time and self-care. Remember, your creativity is a muscle. While muscles should be exercised, they can also get injured if they aren’t given rest. So be kind to yourself!
Let me know in the comments how your writer’s block is going and if you have other ideas you want to add!
Sending love,
Anastasia xoxo