Breaking Through That Writer's Block

We have all had those days where you just cannot seem to focus properly and build up the motivation to get stuff done. I especially find myself struggling on these days to get through the often monotonous marketing work that I usually specialize in.

When these days hit I, like everyone else, have my little 'boosters' to get me in a focused state of mine. My own happy helpers are pretty basic: black coffee and classical music. That charge of caffeine added to the relaxing sound of The Masters is always enough to get me back on track.

I was just wondering what everyone else did to get past these blocks and on the road to met deadlines. Do you have something special, or is it just pure strength and will?

 

I just start writing whatever nonsense comes to mind to get the juices flowing. Total stream of consciousness, no spaces or grammar worries. That can sometimes remind me of the joy I find in writing when I don't have to, which loosens me up for having to

 

I stop trying to write and go do something else.

 

If you have been working non-stop, take a break. Have a chocolate chip cookie like I do! *mmmm*

If you have been staring at a blank page/screen for what feels like decades, go get some fresh air. Clear your head and review what you already know. Think through all the possible angles. Sometimes, distracting yourself works surprisingly well. Also, if you have already written something on the same or a similar topic, revisit that piece. And sometimes you just need a bit more research.

If nothing works, just go for pure stream of consciousness like Prinzel does. Even psychobabble works if your are especially sleep deprived :>.

 

Deadlines can boost your creativity and make your creative juices flowing more than you can imagine. It's so good, it melts through writer's block like a hot knife through butter.

I personally believe there's no such thing as writer's block. It's just, as you put it, the lack of motivation. For me, when I start thinking I'm having writer's block, I realize that I'm just feeling lazy to do whatever it is I have to do.

 

Take a walk around the block, go shopping, visit a friend, call your mother (or someone) then come back and brainstorm the major bullet points. Do dome other related activity like draw a mind-map, or draft an illustration or diagram that encapsulates what you're trying to say. Design the cover page. Think about it but not necessarily on it. Then think about what your target audience might want to hear. Hope that helps!

 

Ironically, even though under normal circumstances having to listen to it will usually make me want to rip my own ears off just to end the misery, when I am stressed out and fighting motivation/inspiration block I find that blasting some of my husband's harder/screamy music really really helps.

Also, weirdly, telling myself to stop trying altogether will usually get a trickle of creative juice flowing again.

 

I stop writing altogether for a few hours. Store the article at the back of your head, have a cigarette, do some illustrations, put on some Muse and then Perplex, close your eyes for a bit and then pull that article back out from wherever you stored it, draw a visual mindmap and get your creative juices flowing.

It works well for me. Everytime you stop thinking about, you come back with something better.

 

I covered the walls in my office with tileboard from the hardware store to provide an environment I could use when I need to break writer's block. Basically, the tileboard acts as a cheap whiteboard material that I can use to write BIG and get up and get my thoughts flowing again. I totally recommend it to my fellow writers - it makes planning a breeze, for sure.

Isa

 

I go for the crappy first draft. Just get it there and down. From there you can pick at it. It's not a matter of being blocked, it's a matter of discipline, and many times that's far more powerful than motivation.