How do you deal with writer's block?

mitan143 Level 1

April 9, 2018, 10:43 am

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How do you deal with writer's block?

I tried to make a story with series of chapters and sometimes I always get a writer's block. I am not a professional writer yet, but I have plans in the future that I want to be a writer so I practice as much as I can today. I already have the idea on how to write for an effective writing but sometimes I get bored and suddenly lost my interest when I'm having a writer's block. How I deal to this is I rest my brain for a while, take back my interest by getting something to read that might help me, and when I'm ready to continue then I do it. I did not force my self to finish it as soon as possible because I want it to have a substance.

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TommyCarey

TommyCarey

Whenever I have writer's block I will usually go to the gym, read a discussion/magazine/forum/blog/book, watch a movie, or pretty much anything else that will help me reset and get some additional ideas along the way.

Writers block isn't fun at all, and I've run into it a lot of times in my career because I write content for most of my clients, so I need to know exactly what to do when it rears its ugly head.

Additional ways, that people here might like better, are to do some keyword research to get ideas of what you can write and also using title generators to automatically build a potential title that you could use or give you some ideas to write on.

Here is a discussion I wrote a while back about how to overcome writers block

Writers block is never fun - How to break the block

Hope that helps

- Tommy

7 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

You are right that going out is one of the best remedy for writer’s block. You do not force yourself in writing or even thinking about your work. Leave it in the computer and do some other things so that your mind will be refreshed. One freelancer said that whenever writer’s block would hit him he would go to his garden and tend his plants. That is a productive activity that will ease his mind.

6 years ago

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MomBlogger

MomBlogger

Hi, that sounds like a great way to deal with Writer's block.
I find my best way is simply to write.
Find a subject I'm super passionate about and write.
I also like taking inspiration from other posts. Pinterest is my favourite go-to if I'm looking for inspiration.
Wishing you all the best,
Lauren

7 years ago

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Barida

Barida

One thing we have to know is that being passionate about a particular subject is good and if that is the way that you sort out the issue of writers block, then it is pretty good. That has not worked for me, but I think that it is nice that such plan can work for you. I always use rest or taking some time off the work as a way to adjust when I feel the pressure of writing.

7 years ago

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Lynne

Lynne

Hey Lauren - yeah I also use Pinterest a lot to generate ideas! I am loving it more and more all the time.

Another thing I do is throw words into online content generators, it really helps to get the mind working again! One thing now is that I don't normally suffer from writers block because when I am on a roll I have an overflow of ideas to write about - I record all my ideas then if I wake up one day and I have a blank I go and check all my previous ideas and there is a wealth of information there ready and waiting for me.

7 years ago

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MendasDigital

MendasDigital

I agree. Sometimes when you take your mind off for a while, and then look at it with fresh eyes, you get a whole new line of inspiration.

Creativity is like a small pool of water, once you drink it all up, you have to wait a while for the pool to refill.

7 years ago

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kgord

kgord

Yes, taking a break and getting away from the task at hand is another way to get away and let your mind get refreshed. I think that is another great way to rejuevenate and allow your mind a chance to regroup.

7 years ago

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Steve5

Steve5

I remember exhausting myself to the extent of accidentally falling asleep. We constantly learn from pushing ourselves too far. Now I know to stop working whenever I feel burned out.

7 years ago

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Barida

Barida

The only thing that I do when I feel that I couldn't continue to write is to go out and have fun with some friends. The idea of doing that is to enable me feel some calmness of the mind and body and to feel refreshed when I decide to go back to working again. This is why I even turn down work by clients when I have the feeling that I shouldn't continue doing that which is really good for my mind.

7 years ago

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keen2write

keen2write

When I get writer's block I tend to steer my self away from writing and sit quiet maybe silent meditation or listen to music. I return back to my laptop later on and find that I am much more relaxed. Never force yourself to write, wait until you are ready and you be surprised on how well of a quality your content becomes.

7 years ago

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kgord

kgord

This is not usually a problem I struggle with. I normally just start writing, and as I do something comes to me. If the initial writing isn't good, I just scratch that part out and go with what I have written that is worthy. I have a free flowing writing and thinking style, which can be both good and bad.

7 years ago

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DenisP

DenisP

"If the initial writing isn't good, I just scratch that part out and go with what I have written that is worthy."

I think that this in and of itself is a form of dealing with writer's block, so you've been doing it without even being aware of it! I think what a lot of people consider to be writer's block isn't the totally cessation of ideas, but rather a continuous flow of bad ideas. They consider a block in the flow of good ideas to be a total blockage. I think your way of getting around it is a good idea. Rather than just quitting entirely because nothing "good" is coming to you, you keep writing until you can either work with something "bad" or break through with new ideas.

7 years ago

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kgord

kgord

Yes, it is like brain storming. I mean not all brain storming is going to elicit quality ideas but some of the ideas are quality and it is something that you can hope to get some decent ideas out of, and some ideas just need further refinement.

7 years ago

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treecko142

treecko142

Sometimes it also helps just reading out loud whatever you have written already, because you might not have realized that the idea is bad in the first place and you are essentially at a dead end which is why you can no longer continue to think of new content to continue the story. Realizing when to stop a failing project can help you start a more fruitful one and continue without anything blocking your way.

7 years ago

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DenisP

DenisP

"Sometimes it also helps just reading out loud whatever you have written already..."

This is absolutely true! I remember when I was in Elementary school, my teachers used to remind us to read out loud whenever we were proofreading an essay. Over the years, I got arrogant and thought to myself, "I've gotten good enough at writing, reading out loud is childish." Only recently did I realize how wrong I was. Just on a whim, I started reading all of my recent work out loud, and I realized just how much it changes your perspective compared to just reading to yourself. Same goes with other people's work. If I'm not out in public, I like to read everything out loud now because I feel that it registers in my brain differently.

7 years ago

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treecko142

treecko142

Yeah, I have gotten so much more confident over the years that I tend to forget to go back to the basics, leading to having more careless mistakes which could have easily been corrected if I had read my work again. Not to mention that I use to just silent read books even when I was a kid, so I wasn't really comfortable with doing it at first, but it really helps to see your mistakes and is like reading your work from another perspective

7 years ago

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vhinz

vhinz

Pushing too hard when you encounter writer's block will only give you pain because you might be disappointed with the result you'll get. So, it is necessary to take a break for a while, read motivational/inspirational books or something that is related to what you are writing so you could get additional ideas. Watching movies could also help. Walk in nature and breathe fresh air to make your brain relax is really a big help. Do so some meditation. When your brain is relaxed, great ideas start to flow seamlessly.

7 years ago

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DenisP

DenisP

I find that the best way to deal with writer's block is to simply give my brain a bit of a rest. I realized a long time ago, that if I feel like there is a plug in my creative flow, then trying to force ideas to come out isn't going to unplug it. I'll probably just end up getting more and more frustrated, spinning my tires and getting nowhere. A bit of a rest from my work, and some outside entertainment (such as watching a movie or reading a book) typically is all it takes to get back on my feet. Heck, even going out for a walk can inspire random and new ideas.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I think if you make a habit of writing atleast 500 words a day. That habit is going to take you places. And that habit is also going to bring more clients to you. But for all of that you have to work hard. And there has to be atleast 10 minutes a day where you are writing something. And in turn this habit would surely avoid you from keeping up in the writers block. You can see that things would be lot better that way.

7 years ago

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aeon

aeon

I think this one is applicable for me. Just having a limited words and time per day, and after two or three days add more 10 or 20 words, and do not force my self. I always feel tired after work and writing during my free time looks like an obligation right now.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I write atleast one article a day. And that is my motivation to work for hours later. And this may seem like cheesy. But only writing more articles is the way to get rid of the writers block. There seems to be no other way from what I have noticed.

7 years ago

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aeon

aeon

Yeah, you're right, I think this writers block will always come and I think when this happened, all you need is just take a rest for a while. Our mind needs to relax, and most of the time this situation happened or this writers block, if we "need" to write and not the "like" to write.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

Motivation for the idea. It seems like there are always things that may come and go. In that case you have to learn from the writers. And also learn from the creativity around. You can see that not all people can deal with this sort of the block. Some just be proactive about it.

7 years ago

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treecko142

treecko142

Yeah, I also don't force myself and take a break instead, be it playing sports or video games, or watching Netflix or reading books just to get inspired by the good stories written out there. I also try sleeping or daydreaming just to get my imagination going.

7 years ago

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aeon

aeon

You should take some rest. Do some stretching, light up your cigarettes, drink some coffee or take a walk for a while. I will helps us to get relax and calm our mind. Don't push your self. I'm sure if you comeback to your chair to write again. There're a lot of ideas will come up.

7 years ago

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TheArticulate

TheArticulate

I think this is the best advice anyone can give. Just taking a break from what you're doing can be healthy for your mind, as well as allow you to clear things out. Returning to work with a fresh and clear mind can be invaluable!

7 years ago

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aeon

aeon

Honestly this idea comes from a movie, and I forgot the movie title. The writer was very frustrated because he doesn't have any idea to write, He went to the park, make a small talk to the people there and the old man got his attention, and then he quickly back to his chair and very excited to write about the story of the old man.

7 years ago

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treecko142

treecko142

Yeah, don't force yourself too much when you really can't think of anything, it will only lead to frustrations and a lot more time being wasted. You also get exhausted more, so don't be afraid to take a break every once in a while. It helps when you avoid procrastinating as well so you can work at your own pace and not rush yourself into thinking of new ideas.

7 years ago

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aeon

aeon

Right, Sometimes the more you wanted to write, the more your mind refuse to think, and it's gonna be waste of time if you force you self to finish your writings, it's hard to win against our mind.

7 years ago

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treecko142

treecko142

Yeah, it's best when your mind and body both want to do the same thing, as it makes it much easier to do stuff and it also leads to better results.

7 years ago

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aeon

aeon

Yeah, and to do that, we need to take a rest, a nap is much better. sometimes it's happens also if we don't like our topic, or we're running out or time in our deadline, two bottles of beer also will help.

7 years ago

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treecko142

treecko142

I used to cram a lot back in college and it was very problematic for me. I admit that the experience also helped in times when I have a deadline to meet since I'm sort of used to working under pressure and don't panic. However, I've tried so hard to work really early and on a schedule so that I don't run out of time, and I have time to take a rest and nap when I experience some writer's block.

7 years ago

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Martinsx1

Martinsx1

There is this concept called the law of diminishing returns and we all experience it once in a while in anything that we are doing.

Writer's block happens to almost everyone who is dedicated to writing good piece of work because the brains would be racked up hard to bring out the best in it.

So therefore, anytime I have this writer's block as a result of diminishing returns, I would simply take a pause and a time off to calm myself down and the relieve my brain from stress. I may go to swim, taking a walk or listen to music, any of these helps me to come back better and well refreshed.

7 years ago

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nopardazco

nopardazco

good content
we want it to have a substance

How do you deal with writer

7 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

This comment has been split into a new thread here.

7 years ago

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Steve5

Steve5

I think we all have what we call writer's block from time to time. My way of dealing with it involves resting my mind. I've found that giving your body enough rest can improve your overall performance. We shouldn't force ourselves to come up with something if we're not at our best in terms of health.

7 years ago

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Martinsx1

Martinsx1

Rest is good no matter how one looks at it. It helps one to calm the pressure in his or her system which would make one be on top of his game.

Stress of the mind makes one perform poorly with writing, so therefore anytime such happens, it's paramount to take a time off and cool down before starting up again.

7 years ago

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Kakashi2020

Kakashi2020

Well my writer's jutsu for a continuous flow of words and ideas is 8 hours of continuous sleep daily, an hour or 2 of walking to the mall or cycling near our home and drinking a lot of water and eating lots of good food as well as a good dose of vitamin supplements. Doing this will maintains my focus and motivation it relaxes my mind ensuring a good flow of words and ideas.

7 years ago

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TheArticulate

TheArticulate

I take some time away from the screen, a breather if you will. This has been more of a problem for me recently since I've been taking a graduate-level storywriting class through my university. I've been spending a lot more time writing recently, and as a result I've encountered writer's block more frequently. Each time I've had a mental block, I'll put away what I'm writing and do something else. Going for a walk or drive while listening to music is always helped, or even talking to my friends about my story to work through my plot verbally with someone else.

Or even just sleeping on it can be great. It's a good idea to just come back to your writing with a clear mind sometimes.

7 years ago

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Tronia

Tronia

I couldn't agree more. Sometimes nothing else will work except literally taking a break for a day or two. If you write a lot every single day and you must produce creative, high-quality work, you will get burned out. Your mind needs some time break time so it can get back to where it was.

7 years ago

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Tronia

Tronia

Ah, the well-known writer's block. First of all, I know how frustrating it is but the more you get worked up about it, the worst it gets. I've had the writer's block many, many times because I write so much every day and it's bound to happen.

My best advice would be three things:
- take a break,
- go outside,
- meditate.

7 years ago

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EfficientNinja

EfficientNinja

You should try to have a break and do other things that you enjoy. You shouldn't force yourself to write if you're suffering from a writer's block. Do something to make your brain think of other things and keep it busy. Try learning a new skill, read a book, do a movie marathon, anything. After you come back from your break there might be new and fresh ideas that came from doing those random things.

7 years ago

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aeon

aeon

That's right. If we are running out of ideas, we should just take a rest of while and don't force our mind to think, our mind will just refuse it. A simple walk actually is enough. Movie marathon is gonna be a great idea, because it's possible that you will get a lot of ideas in the story.

7 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

It is a fact that we all experience mental fatigue in writing. When I encounter writer’s block, I could easily notice it because I tend to run out of words. What I always do is to stand up and walk away from the computer. Do some other things, chat with a person near me or even use the phone. After 10 minutes, I go back to feel refreshed. And when my mind seemed to still be cluttered, I do that walking away again for some more time.

7 years ago

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EfficientNinja

EfficientNinja

That's a great strategy to try. Especially if writing is your day job and you can't just leave the work for a long time without finishing it. I usually just start a video game and have a quick game and come back refreshed after it.

7 years ago

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cmoneyspinner

cmoneyspinner

I subscribe to a lot of newsletters via eMail and follow a lot of Tumblr bloggers. Sometimes I just scan my eMails that I haven't had a chance to read or casually scroll through the Tumblr post stream. Inspiration hides in strange places. LOL.

7 years ago

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iamawriter

iamawriter

I am going through that at this moment now. I have not come here for quite a while and even now as I am writing this post my mind is kind of blank. But I have hope that I will get back and feel I have to do nothing but time will take care of that.

7 years ago

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pairinpay

pairinpay

Never force yourself to write, wait until you are ready and you be surprised on how well of a quality your content becomes.
I also like taking inspiration from other posts.

7 years ago

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