If you’ve ever experienced any sort of writer’s block I’m sure you can agree it is a painful state of mind that’s often difficult to overcome.
Where does writer’s block stem from anyway? Yale University psychologists Jerome Singer and Michael Barrios followed a group of diverse, “blocked” writers and concluded that there are four main causes of writer’s block:
- Excessive self-criticism
- Fear or comparison to other writers
- Lack of external motivation (e.g. praise and recognition)
- Lack of internal motivation
You probably began your writing journey with feelings of determination and eagerness; getting past writer’s block is about digging deep and bringing that back. Let’s jump into the tips:
1. Develop A Writing Routine
Some of you might be thinking that this would be counterintuitive. After all, creativity is not something you can schedule, right? Well, the truth is if you only write when “inspiration hits” you’re bound to get stuck eventually. The only way to push through is by disciplining yourself to write on a regular schedule.
2. Freewrite
Freewriting involves writing for a set amount of time without pause or regard for grammar, spelling, topic, etc. That means no editing or reading back, just writing.
The goal of freewriting is to write without second-guessing yourself. Find the right location (somewhere you won’t be disturbed) and choose your preferred writing tool. Set your timer for just 10 minutes at first–you can gradually increase the time as you get more comfortable with the exercise.
3. Take A Shower
Research shows that when you’re doing something monotonous (such as showering), your brain goes on autopilot and leaves your unconscious free to wander. Embrace your wandering mind, this could lead to that creative spark.
4. Balance Your Inner Critic
The inner critic could easily bring your writing to a halt and give you a big dose of self-doubt. You don’t need to completely ignore that critical voice but you must establish a balance. This way you can address what’s actually necessary and skip over the insecurity and irrelevant parts. Read this blog for tips on overcoming self-doubt.
5. Switch Up Your Point Of View
Pick a different character or inanimate object from the story you’re writing and write from that point of view. New eyes could help you see the areas you could improve and how to go from there.
6. Develop Your Characters
Take a break from your story and start writing about your characters! Give them strengths, weaknesses, ambitions, fears, motivation, etc. Creating depth in your characters can help you get back into the flow of your story.
7. Find The Root Of It
As we discovered earlier, writer’s block often stems from a problem deeper than a simple lack of inspiration. If you feel pressure to succeed, remind yourself that writing is an accomplishment. If you’re drained, take a few days off from writing. Once you get to the root of the block it’ll be much easier to fix.
Of course, there’s no magic formula when it comes to overcoming writer’s block. But these tips and finding the root of the block are sure to be a great start.
Have any tips of your own? Comment them below!
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