Writer’s Block: How to Deal With It?

It’s 6:05 a.m. and there I was, staring at the blank page on my desktop computer, trying to think of something interesting and valuable to write. But my brain wouldn’t bleed. Chocolate coffee wouldn’t even make a slight difference.

Writer’s block? Maybe.

Well, it’s an every writer’s dilemma—a condition we dread, especially when we are beating the deadliest of deadlines. But, how do you expect to squeeze rich creative juices out of your brain at six o’clock in the morning? Of course, we can. Bringing good ideas out is not scheduled. We can even create them at our sleep, so how much more when we are wide awake?

Writing at this very early schedule? I just told myself to give it a month and I will get used to it. No, just three weeks and it will become my new skill. Probably, yeah. Will you agree?

Gone are the days of ease and convenience in finishing five to ten press releases and online campaigns in one day, and not to forget the miscellaneous tasks that usually consumed much of my time.

No writer’s block? I can’t remember.

What bothered me was the frigid environment that would stiffen my fingers and usually upset my tummy. And more than that, I was working in a corporate jungle populated with creative and talented people who can create a soundscape that sometimes you don’t understand or enjoy. It was a challenge. You have to learn how to keep your senses sharp and working to be effective in your job.   

I am now in the new phase of my writing career. It is, I would say, the same but different. The same in the sense that I am still writing. But the challenge? It’s real. There is no room for impossibility on this side of the world. Every minute cannot not be wasted. You need to have a strategy that works, and it must be effective. Your brain must work whether it is six o’clock in the morning or four in the afternoon.

Writer’s block. It caught me unguarded for the first time. However, I got the advantage. Here are few tips on how to deal with this intermittent predicament:

1.  Book. Bring a book (or books) to your workplace. I don’t think you will be reprimanded by your boss for reading few pages, just few pages, of it in between your projects (just make sure you will fulfill what is expected from you). Reading a book will allow your brain to freshen up because you are not exhausting it, but feeding it with something new.

2. Music. Get inspiration from your favorite playlist. In my previous job, we were not allowed to listen to music while we write. Now, this is one of the best privileges of being a writer that I can enjoy. With my kind of music on the background, I found my imagination working so well and quick. It gives my brain a soothing scrub that creates positive impulses for me to write.

3. Videos. When you think your brain is getting lethargic and depressingly dull, take a little time to explore and watch different videos, from Youtube or any sites, that would not only allow your mind to see new things and recover from mental block, but would also delight your heart. Laugh and be inspired with the videos and when you go back to your writing, you are already finishing it. (Not literally, of course.)

4. Facebook - Check out the recent posts of your FB friends and see what’s going on in their world. Facebook or Twitter and other social networks often feed us with fresh news, trends, insights, and a wealth of information we may find useful to our job as writers.

5.  Sweets - Sugar rush makes us hyperactive. I have already tried this many times and it is effective. Eating chocolate bars or donuts will be a wise option when you think your brain needs fuel to make it to budge.

6.  Visuals - If company rules deny you the right to listen to music and watch videos, or even eat, try going out for a little fresh air, see the real world moving and go back with a fresh mind. A peek at the window to the real world outside will do just fine.

Writer’s block could last for hours to some writers, which could become detrimental to their job. The aforementioned tips are only few of the many common ways against writer’s block. If you were experiencing this state, apply the one thing that would work for you. You can also try drawing or sketching, play mobile games, eat ice cream, think about summer and fun, and many other positive things. Discover and learn how to punch it out and write smoothly to the end.

Do you have any tips to share on how to deal with writer’s block? Do you have your own tested list? Share it to us.

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