5 ways to push past writer’s block
There’s an old New Yorker cartoon on a bulletin board above my desk.
It shows a kid who’s just built a sand castle. An adult standing next to him says of the castle, “It’s brilliant.” But the thought bubble from the kid says, “Then why do I feel like such a hack?”
This week, I feel like a hack. I’ve struggled to complete the simplest writing tasks. Who was it that said, “I hate writing, but I love having written”?
Rather than stare blankly at my laptop and grow increasingly frustrated, I reviewed my previous posts on overcoming writer’s block and followed my own advice.
Here are five things you can do to push past writer’s block:
1. Take a break.
As writers and editors, we know the value of putting an assignment aside and coming back to it another time.
If you can, go to the break room for coffee, take an early lunch, or chat with a cube mate for 10 minutes.
2. Get a change of scenery.
Another trick is to move to a different space. When you’re stuck, and all you can do is stare at your monitor and then stare out the window, move somewhere else.
Having different scenery to gaze at may help you out of your rut. I sometimes move from my office to a conference room to write.
3. Do something other than writing.
If you’re having trouble thinking creatively and focusing on the right words, think about your topic visually or graphically.
Draw or outline the concept instead. Create a flow chart or a mind map. You can also search for images that relate to your topic. Pulling out a thesaurus and listing words related to your topic may also help.
4. Take it slowly.
Though not always possible, breaking up an assignment and giving yourself a stopping point (even an artificial one) can help you write more efficiently.
Most of the time, I have so much momentum once I reach my stopping point that I just keep writing.
5. Write first; edit later.
This is the one piece of writing advice that I struggle with the most. Write first, and then go back and make corrections once the draft has been completed.
Stopping to make corrections can interrupt your flow, and you can get stuck again. Do what you can to get the words on paper (or on the screen), and go back to perfect it another time.
PR Daily readers, what’s your advice for overcoming writer’s block?
This article was first published on Ragan Communication’s PR Daily.
