What do Leo Tolstoy, J.K Rowling and Toni Morrison have in common? They have all had writer’s block.
Isn’t writing strange? Some days you can feel so full of ideas you can’t wait to get them all down and you could write for hours and hours… but then the next day your mind can feel blank and you struggle to even write one sentence.
Sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start. You may wonder what is the story that you want to tell? What if you don’t feel inspired? What if you can never write again? Is it time to give up this dream?
Don’t panic!
Creativity is unique – no two days are necessarily the same. No two authors are the same… So don’t beat yourself up, even the most established of authors have days where they find it difficult to write or months where they look for inspiration for The Next Story, so you are in good company.
How can you overcome writer’s block though? Below are some of our top tips, they involve a variety of activities – some which you definitely won’t be expecting!
1. Free your emotion! Shout. Scream. Rant. Run. Throw things. Be emotional, be passionate and your inspiration will follow.
2. Walk. Being in nature and exercising can help calm your mind and open it up to creativity.
3. Read. Read a book, a diary, quotes.
4. Limit distractions. Have a quiet place to work. Put your phone on silent. Do NOT let the Internet distract you…
5. Sentence generation. Use a sentence generator online which will randomly show you a sentence and then free-write around that sentence.
6. Listen to something you hate. Listen to music which you dislike. Think about the feelings it creates.
7. Forget it! Forget writing! What? Why? How can this help?? Sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves. Take some time to stop worrying about writing and do something different – swing up high on a swing, call a friend, paint a picture…
8. Take photographs, view the world through a child-like lens, get down on the floor or visit somewhere brand new to you. It's amazing what a new perspective can do.
9. Stoke your ego! Go on, ask someone what they like about you. Spend time with someone who makes you feel good. Treat yourself to a spa day. Boost that ego.
10. Talk to a child. Their curious minds are full of interesting ideas and questions which can inspire!
11. Make a change. Move your desk so you’re looking out the window. Alter your writing routine. Swap your usual go-to snacks.
12. Write. Yep. Just write anything. Your thoughts. Your ideas of a dream dinner. Your first memory. Writing itself can help get that writer’s block a distant memory.
Writer’s block can be frustrating and intimidating, but don’t worry, it is very common and it doesn’t last forever. Keep going, keep trying, you’ll eventually break through that barrier and guess what? It may even have done you a favour and given you even more material and emotion for you to pour into your writing.
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