If you like to write, whether creatively, academically, or for any other reason, you know that writer’s block is one of the biggest obstacles in the process. It’s a burdensome feeling of being stuck and unable to write and can be caused by things such as anxiety, fear, confusion, etc… My writer’s block keeps me avoiding my projects for days (or even weeks) at a time, and it’s a challenge to break through it. While the creative process is different for every individual, I want to share some strategies and tips that work for me. They may not work for you, but that’s okay! Test out your routine and find what works best. It takes time and effort to overcome creativity blocks, but the results that come out of it are always worth the struggle.
Here is my process for battling my writer’s block:
Reset.
The first step to working through any problem is to always take care of yourself. This is why, when I’m feeling uninspired, I start by going through a quick and mindful reset. A clean of my space, exercising, showering, or eating a good meal often helps to clear my mind and sets me up for success. During your reset time, try your best not to think about your upcoming project. Your health comes first! Trust that a healthy mind and body will guide you through your upcoming work when it comes time to cross that bridge.
Tip #1 — Time management:
Make time in your day to specifically tackle your project. Remember, you can always start small!
Practice.
I must admit that I often skip over this step, but ultimately, when I am in the depths of a rut, practice is what gets me out. From a writer’s perspective, this could look like generating an online prompt and setting a timer for a 20-minute sprint-write, or jotting down a stream of consciousness in my journal. If you’re interested in other art forms, practice those as well! For illustration, maybe this is a page of sketches of random objects around you. For painting, maybe this looks like trying to copy the technique of a painter you admire. Artists always have a way to practice, even if they don’t do it often. It can be anything that gets you in the right mindset!
Gather Inspiration.
After my reset and my practice, I let myself start to think about my project. I take a walk, and when I am back to my preferred space, I pull up my Spotify playlist, usually specific to my project (here’s my current one), and then my Pinterest mood board. Oftentimes, I’ll skim through one of my journals or the notebook I use for all of my project’s brainstorming. Sources of inspiration can be found anywhere: through music, images, books, films, interesting people, the shape of the clouds, etc. But I encourage you to find what works for you and exploit it! Whatever works best—it works best, so use it to the max. I suppose that’s why you can always find me walking and wandering about.
Tip #2 — Walk:
My creative process is sometimes all over the place, but I always find that a short walk, no matter the weather, boosts some of my creative energy. For me, this also means no music, no podcasts. Just me and my thoughts!
Do something out of the ordinary.
If all else fails, and I don’t feel inspired, I go to the extreme. Trying something new can force us out of our regular routines and inspire some new ways of thinking. A jump in the ocean is always my go-to when I need a switch up to the mundane of my life! Some other out-of-the-ordinary things could include trying a new sport, exploring a new part of town, or even getting out of your comfort zone like singing karaoke in front of a crowd.
Tip #3 — Try famous author’s routines:
For my writers out there, you could try getting into the minds of famous authors by trying out their particular writing routines!
Finally — Create.
There’s no getting around this one. Finally setting a goal, then sitting down and creating is definitely the hardest step. I find that setting a small goal and feeling a sense of accomplishment after achieving it often motivates me to work even further. Sometimes, I create for hours and sometimes, I only create for a couple of minutes. However, it doesn’t matter how horrible or how amazing your project turns out; making it exist is the most important step in the process.
Tip #4 — Strategize:
When I need to get words down on the page, I change my text colour to white so that I can’t see what I am writing, and write down whatever comes to mind. I ignore my potential mistakes—no editing is necessary at this point. Eventually, a flow hits, and bye-bye writer’s block! Until next time…
Relax.
Lastly, don’t stress yourself out about it. Creativity is a difficult process. But you’ve had great ideas before and you’ve created amazing things — so you’ll do it all again!
Tip #5 — Routines:
These are things that develop over long periods of time after discovering the things that work and the things that don’t. It isn’t exactly what you do that creates the routine, it’s the rigorous effort that does. Stick to your inspirations and processes that you know work for you!
Author’s Note:
Writer’s block is an absolutely normal part of the process and it can hit at the most discouraging of times. There’s no need for shame around it, even though it’s a tough battle! Through reading about my process and tips, I hope that you can find a little bit of encouragement to find your way through it and go on to create something amazing!