You know what I’m doing right now? Staring at a blank page hoping this intro writes itself. And voila it did! With a little help from some experts in defeating writer’s block. Read on for their advice and watch it work for you too.
Get out of your head and into the world
Forcing yourself to sit with your work until it’s done is just going to cause more stress. Allow yourself a short break. Nicki Letts from Minor Words swears by running to get the ideas flowing;
“I'm a big believer that you have your best ideas while running. The minute my words stop flowing, I'm lacing up my runners and hitting the trails! There's just something about the combination of fresh air and exercise endorphins that clears the mind ready for a new burst of ideas. Then the second I get back to the desk, I have to write down everything before hitting the shower!”
Find more from Minor Words on Twitter and LinkedIn.
If running isn’t your style or you can’t leave the baby alone bring them along in the pram for a nice stroll. The point is getting outside and amped up.
Apps are your friend
In the day and age of the quick fix there’s even apps and websites to set your writing back on track. Zoe Macfarlane from Karry On explains:
“I am a freelance travel writer and went through a tough period of not being able to get anything interesting on paper - ridiculous when the whole world is your inspiration!! I got through this by using this website. Simply put, you choose a time frame between 5-60 minutes and if you stop writing within the allotted time, all your work disappears. It's a fantastic resource as it gets something (anything!) on to the screen and at least 50% of the time, I end up with content that I can then flesh out into an article. During periods of writer’s block, I set a 10-minute time frame and choose a topic to write about - and if it's work related, I find I care more about that content vanishing if I pause too long. It's an invaluable tool.”
Find Zoe on LinkedIn.
Relax your brain
We all know staring at a screen for ages is bad for your eyes and your brain. And since most writing is done on computer these days the stress of writer’s block will have you staring at a bright white screen for who knows how long. Even though your brain feels empty and that’s the whole problem, it’s not empty and relaxed - ready for new ideas to pop in. It won’t feel like the right plan with a deadline looming but do something completely opposite to writing, like spending a half hour playing outside with the kids. You'll be amazed by your brains imagination when it's off topic.
We can confirm after testing this advice it truly works! So pick your favourite method and smash out those deadlines so you can get back to the more important things in life.
