Unblock Writer's Block
Read or listen then scroll down to the end for questions to help you apply this to your everyday life!
One very simple yet very profound word of encouragement I received before I ever wrote my first book was this – a writer writes everyday. So, what is a writer to do on those days when you feel like your brain is completely empty and it seems as if you can’t put a single sentence together?
Take a break. Now, you can’t take an hour break every fifteen minutes, but there are times when you need to just stop for a few minutes – even if it’s not lunchtime. Stand up. Stretch your legs. Take your eyes off the screen for a little while. Sometimes pressing pause will revive you just enough to get you back into writing mode so you can produce your next masterpiece.
Change your scenery. Awaken your senses in a new environment. If you’ve been trying to write at your desk for the last three days and haven’t gotten anywhere, try writing outside, at the library, or at a coffee shop. If you’ve been writing in isolation, try writing with a friend or join a writer’s group. If writing in bed in your PJs hasn’t produced any results, try getting up, getting dressed, and write on the sofa instead. It doesn’t have to be a drastic change. It just may need to be something different.
Write about something else. If you’re writing a book, you may not be able to write the chapters in sequential order. If you’re getting stuck on chapter two, rather than getting frustrated and giving up on the book, start writing chapter seven. Whichever chapter is the one you feel most inspired to write in that moment is the one to work on at that time. If you have a paper you have to write for school, or a manual you’re developing for work, or whatever it may be and your brain goes blank; try taking a few minutes to write something completely different. Make an entry in your journal. Write a quick fictional story. Jot down what you did yesterday. This is a great way to remain disciplined and stay in writing mode while giving your creative juices a chance to rejuvenate.
Get something to eat. If you don’t eat, your body and your brain will begin to shut down. Instead of working with you on what you’re trying to write, your brain will work in collaboration with your stomach on trying to convince you to give them the nourishment they need. If you think stopping for lunch will just serve as a distraction and give you an excuse to procrastinate for hours at a time, then prepare your meals in advance. That way, you still get the nutrition you need without the distractions you don’t.
Read something similar. The Bible says there’s nothing new under the sun. So, whatever it is you’re writing about, there is surely something that’s already been written along the same lines. This is a great way to jog your memory about something you forgot you wanted to include in what you’re writing or you might even find something significant enough to quote. Whatever the case, it’s a great way to get unstuck. But be careful not to fall for the trap of reading so much of someone else’s writing that you fail to get any of your own done. If it’s that good, hold on to it and pick it back up when you need to get unstuck again.
Do something fun. As soon as writing becomes a boring chore, you won’t want to do it. And if you don’t want to do it, then of course you’re going to experience writer’s block. So, be sure you’re incorporating something fun into your day. What’s considered fun for one person is different than what’s considered fun for another person. Whatever that looks like for you, be sure to take some time to do it. Then, you can look forward to sitting back down to write instead of dreading it.
Take a nap. When all else fails, take a nap! For those of you who are parents, you know how it was when your children were small. If you’ve fed them, and changed them, and played with then, and they’re still irritable; what did you do? You put them down for a nap! Well, if it worked for them, it will probably work for you, too! It’s okay for an adult to take a nap and it doesn’t have to be half the day. Sometimes just a quick power nap can refresh you so you can get to writing again.
Questions to Ask
· In what area of your life do you feel stuck?
· What is something simple you can do to get unstuck?
Scripture to Study
· Galatians 6:9
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