How To Beat That Writer's Block!
- Shay Spencer
- Apr 1, 2017
- 5 min read
You know what I hate? That feeling you get each time you want to write, but absolutely can't. It feels like all the ideas you have, are being hidden away in some box you can't seem to get to, and anything that you do have on paper, isn't worth your time.
These last few weeks has been tough for me; I've tried almost everything and anything to get my creative juices flowing, and I wasn't able to write one word. I half felt like all hope was lost, like I should just give up, and that's exactly what I did. But during this time when I had entirely given up on any creative writing, guess what I ended up doing? Literally anything creative, other than writing.
As per usual, I finally broke through this weird word-drought I had gotten myself into, and I can solemnly swear that it's all thanks to my few weeks of random creative impulses.
So how can you all break through your own writer's block? The answer may be below...
1. Get moving!
One of the best tips I can give any writer, is to change up your scenery a little. You can get yourself into quite the rut when you're sticking to the same old writing space. Even if you just move from your desk to your living room, it can bring out something new in you that you've never seen before. Some of the best writing I've done has been while sitting in a waiting room - I don't know why, it may be the conversations going on around me, or the local paintings and photographs hanging on the walls, but I can't get enough of it.
Also, and I'm sometimes not a fan of this one, but get active! I'm the biggest home-body of them all, but every once in a while, it's good to just go for a run. The fresh air can make a huge difference; it sure as hell changed my outlook on things the other day.
If you're in a crunch for time, just take a quick step back from the computer and stretch out. Even walking around the house for a few minutes can help just as much!
2. Listen to some music!
I do this religiously when I'm looking to write. Music can be one of the most therapeutic things when you're down on your writing luck, and I know for sure that it's helped me through even my worst case of writer's block.
One thing that I do now, more than ever in the past, is compile a few songs that remind me of whatever book I'm writing, and put them together in a playlist. Most of these songs can transport me back to a time when I did have inspiration, and almost always, it helps remind me of some certain plot points I had forgotten to write down.
My main streaming service has been Spotify - you can sign up for a free account in their app, or on their browser site, and honestly, it's one of the best decisions I've made.
To get some ideas, check out my exclusive playlist for my ongoing story, Tides.
3. Binge a new show!
I'll be honest, one of my favorite things on this earth is television. I'm not only obsessed with the general concept, but furthermore, the mechanics of it all. Nonetheless, TV can help you at times like this.
Now, before you go streaming the most recent episodes of Stranger Things, keep in mind what genre you're writing. A huge tip for getting through this block using TV, would be watching a show similar to whatever book you're writing (and I know there's got to be one out there!).
Before I write for my book, The Buddies Rule, I end up watching a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother. Why did I pick this show? One of the biggest similarities between that beloved CBS show and my book, is the dynamic between either group of friends. They've all known each other for so long, and inevitably, there's a budding romance worked into one of the episodes, just like each chapter of my own book.
I highly suggest Netflix if you're looking for a show to watch - they've got shows for almost anything.
4. Read a damned book!
To some people, this may seem strange - you're having trouble writing your own book, yet you're now suggesting that I waste my time reading someone else's book? That's precisely why you do this.
Speaking from experience, I get some of my best ideas when reading someone else's novel. Reading has the power to transport you to another world, one entirely different from whatever world you're trying to keep yourself in for the moment. Doing this, literally gets you out of your own head, which honestly, is the worst place to be when you have writer's block. You are your own worst critic, and having only yourself to talk to at a time like this, can really take you down,
So, pick up that book that's been shoved into the corner of your room for the last few weeks (or years in my case), and read! Maybe it'll spark something and give you that inspiration you've been longing for.
Need Wattpad suggestions? Check out a few of the stories featured on my profile! I've compiled a few different reading lists that should bring the humor and romance back to your lives!
5. Write!
Now you're all definitely thinking I'm insane - but contrary to popular opinion, this is a definite cure to your writer's block. Most writers have a problem with returning to that unfinished project;' picking up wherever you've left off can be pretty scary when you're not sure where to go next.
One thing I know to be true after three years of writing (and I'm in no way an expert) is that the longer you put it off, the more inspiration you'll lose. I'm constantly wanting to move onto the next big idea that's popped into my head at times like this - it's a lot easier to start something new than to finish off an old project, inadvertently saying goodbye to it. But in certain cases, starting something new will not help one bit. You can only be in that universe for a certain period of time. Yes, there's no rule saying you can't go back, but I can promise you, things will have changed, even if you've only been gone a short while. So act while the fire is hot! Even if your writing sucks for the moment, at least you'll have written something! There will always be time to go back and edit.
That being said, I know I can't be the only author with multiple projects going at once. At the moment, I know I'm writing well over five books, and that's nothing in comparison to what I've done in the past. I am in no way recommending this, it's incredibly hard to keep up with, but in times of creative block, having sub-projects to go to when your main work is failing you, can be very therapeutic. Each of my books are written under different protagonists with equally different personalities from the last - it can be new and exciting to return to each of these different novels that I've created, and it surely helps me to push through my lack of writing.
If you're still stuck for ideas on what to write, look up some free-writing prompts online - and if those don't spark anything, I get back into the swing of things by writing blog posts like this one!
There you go! I wish you all the best in your writing endeavors.
If you have anything that you'd like me write about, leave a comment below - or click the link to one of my many social media profiles!
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