Whether you write a blog or just essays, writer’s block is something everyone has faced at some point or other (except maybe babies but they don’t count). Anyway, it sucks.
Like earlier today. I couldn’t think about anything to write about for this blog and was like, “OMG, this sucks so bad. I have to write this by the end of today and I haven’t even started and I don’t even know what to write about and everyone will see it and my name will be attached to it forever so it has to be good but it won’t be because I have no idea what to do and I suck and the world is over and everything is awful.”
It was a bad situation.
I’m pretty sure that writer’s block was devised by the universe or whatever specifically to make people suffer. But there are ways to overcome/prevent writer’s block and be like, “F*** you universe! I’ve got this!” Here are a few of them:
1. Take a walk or just some time to be by yourself, relax, and think. Don’t listen to music, don’t listen to other people, and especially don’t think about what you have to write. Just chill and let your thoughts flow. Wow, this sounds really cheesy. But really, a nice walk or hike can be a beautiful way to calm down, think, and beat up writer’s block!
2. Just start writing. If it’s an essay and you can’t think of an intro or something, just start writing what you know you want to include. After writing the rest of the essay, it can be a lot easier to come up with an awesome intro because you actually know what you are introducing. And after you write everything, you can always rearrange paragraphs, change your word choice, and fix up whatever else needs fixing which is a lot easier than writing everything perfect the first time.
3. Write about something you like. Writing can be really fun if you are writing about a topic you really like. This can be more difficult when writing a paper for a class (generally political science teachers don’t want to hear about the new pair of high heels you bought this weekend) but if you can find a way to incorporate something you really like as an example or as part of the intro or in any other way, it can be a lot easier and a lot more fun. And when you have fun when writing, it often shows in the final paper and your teacher has more fun reading it and you get a better grade. It’s basically just a good deal all around.
4. Think ahead. Yes everyone tells you this and yes you will most likely procrastinate still and be writing up to the last minute. But even just remembering that your writing is due on a specific day and keeping it in mind gives you more time to think about it and come up with a topic.
5. Brain storm. Make a thought web or mind map. Think about why you are writing and what you would like to include. Seeing it on paper can make it a lot less intimidating and a lot more organized. It can keep you from forgetting ideas and help you come up with new ones. If you are a visual person, some light brain storming on a piece of paper can really help.
6. But don’t over think it. If you think about your paper for too long and come up with too many ideas without writing anything down, by the time you actually sit down to write, the topic will be a big mess in your brain. Then you will try to think of all the ideas you’ve had and not be able to remember all of them and try to remember them but keep thinking there are more but not know what they are or how to find them and it’s just really stressful and not nice. Or maybe that’s just me. But stress is bad and I find it to be one of the main causes of my writing block.
So keep calm and carry on man. And good luck with all your final essays of the quarter. Peace!