What’s stopping you? Just tell others!
Writer’s block - If you’re a blogger or a freelance writer, you should be writing a lot. You should also be encountering writer’s block a lot.
What exactly is writer’s block?
Writer’s block is the sudden inability to write content. The content can be anything, but the funny thing is that it is the content that is needed for a project which you are pretty much regularly doing.
The project could be your blog, freelance writing gig, a sales copy, writing newsletter and so on. If you’re an online business person your business will heavily rely on these writing projects.
Let’s say you walk the road from your house to your college/school everyday. But then all of a sudden, one day you don’t know how to get your feet on the road to walk and reach the college.
Sounds crazy? It is!
It is the thing that you’re doing almost everyday, but still you could get stuck one day not knowing how to start and how to progress.
Writer’s block is a killer. If you “allow” it to be, then it will infect your business. Why does such a block occur all of a sudden from no-where?
It could be due to any or all of the following reasons:
- You chose to blog in a niche that is not of interest to you.
- You chose a very narrow niche (so that you ran out of topics).
- You are not motivated enough (in general).
- You have become bored because of some reason with your business.
You are not writing for a long time- This doesn’t apply to you because here we talk about people who write almost regularly.- For no reason.
The last point is what happens most of the time. If you’re not in any of the other categories, then you are for sure experiencing writer’s block for no reason. It’s absolutely normal.
However, treat it like a cancer symptom. Attend to it immediately. Do whatever you can to stop writer’s block take total control of you and your career.
Here’s a list of things you could do to kick the block off its butt
- Open your Google reader (or whatever you use to read other blogs). Go blog hopping. Read other blog posts and start leaving comments on them. Keep a notebook and a pen, or a blank text file open when you do this. You will get loads of blog post ideas. You can also copy paste your comments that shed insights on a particular issue/topic. This could be expanded later on as a blog post.
- Stop staring the blank screen. I know this happens when you’re experiencing writer’s block. But just don’t do it. Staring the blank screen will encourage the block giving it a comfort zone. Get up from your chair and do some other household work or office work (away from computer) for a short while.
- Get some fresh air. If the weather outside is appropriate, go for a casual walk (not a workout walk or physical training). Dress casually and just walk. Enjoy the fresh air and the nature around you. Observe what’s happening around you.
- Do idea dumping/word dumping/text dumping - whatever you name it. Just open a plain text file and write whatever comes to your mind and to your fingers. Just don’t think, don’t limit your thoughts and don’t read what you’re writing. Write freely. This is a good warm up if your brain muscles are not cooperating to write.
- Read something totally unrelated to your topic or niche. For instance if your niche is dog training, then read something about baby care, or weight loss or about technological gadgets and so on. Follow a particular blog post’s voice.
- Read a magazine.
- Make note of all blogging questions you get along the way; when you get the answer/solution to it, note that down as well. Each one of those questions and answers can make useful blog posts.
- Write about writer’s block.
Well the last item is what I’m wanted to talk about in detail in this post, because this post was written just to overcome my writer’s block. So you know it works!
Why is this method very effective?
As a blogger when you want to share the plus, minus, difficulties and procedures of something you went through, that’s really exciting.
For instance, I recently moved findallanswers.com to probloggingsuccess.com and the whole procedure was a bit tiresome, tedious and a big step.
I know there are many bloggers who are in the dilemma to move to a new domain and don’t have a step by step guide. So I thought that I would share the instructions on the whole procedure.
The very thought was good, but I was bit overwhelmed to write that post because I was just so tired after the whole process and tying up the loose ends.
But when I started writing what I did step-by-step, wow it was all refreshing and interesting.
That’s the point here. Writer’s block is about not knowing what and how to write about something. But when you can write about this very difficulty and how you tried to overcome it, this can become a totally useful blog post to your readers.
Not necessarily writer’s block
Well, you cannot always keep on writing about writer’s block whenever you face it. Especially if you’re hit by writer’s block often, your readers will be bored to hear about that!
You can choose to write about any of your problems/challenges that you were encountering (that indirectly caused your writer’s block).
You will end up with a practical guide - stuff that stopped you from doing something, the real causes, how you identified and overcame those challenges and so on.
This kind of posts help you break the ice and at the same time prove to be very useful for your readers.
Plus you would have already defeated the block.
How do you fight writer’s block? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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I Like the idea about Stop staring the blank screen, this happens a lot when we are in a block zone. I use to just go for a drive also to come out of that zone, so just wanted to add sometimes taking break and doing what you love to do also helps.
Sanjeev, at least that’s what I learned by staring at the screen for a while LOL
Rough Blogger says
Fantastic article! I suffer from writers block all the time. For me, I find that I have to sit there and force myself to just do it. Even if I am writing an article, like you said, about not being able to write, it’s getting something out there.
The going outside thing is actually a killer for me, because I have a tendency to procrastinate!
Yes, that’s right. Not everything will work for everyone
If you’re tending to procrastinate that’s much worse than getting blocked 
Hi Jane,
I have really enjoyed this especially the “write about writer’s block’ part. I don’t have writer’s block at the moment, but there seems to be so much going on in my life the last couple of weeks that I haven’t had time to finish a post.
I think this is a great idea to write why I haven’t written lately and how I intend to move on from here to a more manageable schedule. Thanks so much for the ideas. Sally ( See you on Blogengage)
Sally let me know when you make that post. See you too at Blog Engage!
Hi Jane,
Writing about writers block is indeed a good way to overcome writers block. Guess it can only be use once unless you twist the words next time. When my mind go blank, i tend to take a rest. I will not force myself to come out with a post. We shouldn’t feel pressure to stick to the schedule. If i don’t have a post idea for the whole day, i will postpone to the next day.
Probably after a good night’s rest, it always works when i get up feeling fresh and full of energy. Reading other blogs and comments is another good way that works for me. Get the idea, write with your own words can become a post easily.
Lye, sleeping helps to cool down our brain and helps to get fresh. Indeed that’s a great idea to clear up the clog
Thanks for your comment.
Indeed I am going through the writer’s block. It usually happens with me . But the reason ain’t listed above. Reason remains low time to cope with studies and blogging . Add it Jane…!!
Karan, that’s typical of students who blog part time
More power to you!
Ya I think so , blogging empowers we students with some extra energy to deal with multi-tasking.
I usually have very non professional approach to every professional approach (this is exactly what makes me different from others). Well, I am not a professional writer but I can do well to some extent so I do my writing work by my own self instead of hiring someone. When I experience a writer block than it means I am usually tired or depress to encounter the block I start writing about the stuff which makes me depress or start cursing my boss. In the end I found my self pretty comfortable because I flush out every crap in my mind and my hands starts typing automatically because of the fresh ideas coming from fresh mind
Umair, if that works for you, it’s great! thanks for your comment.
I don’t want to kill myself over writing, so i take it pretty easy. Maybe that’s why i rarely get into the corner for a writer’s block. Maybe that’s the secret, to take it easy and don’t stress over it. Usually everything can be solved with a good’s night sleep, everything else is wasted energy.
If it’s still there in the morning, then you can take action.
Sleeping usually helps us to shut down, recharge and start afresh! Thanks for your comment.
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I used to have writer’s block until I took on the technique of fashion designers. Sometimes they post up fabric as inspiration. So that’s what I do, I look at my environment for inspiration and I’m always looking to recreate a topic.
Jane,
Great list of over coming writer’s block. I would like to add to this a great piece of advice from Seth Godin, “Write like you talk. Often.”
You can read the full post here: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/09/talkers-block.html (Excellent read)
Thank you
“You have become bored because of some reason with your business.” — This is true, I felt that sometimes. I’ll take your advice for me to overcome such feeling. Tnx!
Christy says
Incredible piece of article with a lot of information to share. As for me, I always have this problem from writers block all the time. Some times I just stuck in front of my monitor and I do not know what to do. My tips are just relax, take a break and then browse the web. Finally, the idea will come automatically.
These are really good tips and I especially like the one about blog hopping! Thank you!
Sincerely,
Valerie Strawmier
Hi jane,
Thank you for sharing. Writer’s block is an unpleasant experience for me. I wanted to write but do not know what should be written, maybe it’s because the topic is not interesting for me (it is obviously there in your article) and thank you for giving way to solve it.
I really like the text/ idea dumping. It is a great stress reliever and as you have said, it is a great way of combating writer’s block. Exercise is too. You actually release hormones that wake your brain cells up and get them doing what they should be doing, thinking. It is much like how adrenaline works. Thanks for the great tips!
You can use Google Alerts to find news items worthy of your interest in your niche. If the news is very popular you can write a post on the same and this can generate traffic to your site
Hi Jane . A thoughtful share . I also suffer from writer blocks many a times. The reasons stated by you sound convincing .Blog hoping ,idea dumping and reading are indeed a effective remedy . At times we worry too much about the quality of the writing and this aggravates the block that one faces . Liked the share .Thanks
Love this post! At times I have a hard time coming up with new and interesting topics for my blog…I will definitely be trying some of your tips the next time I encounter writers block…
I like to just spew my thoughts onto the page or screen without caring for spelling/grammar etc. - I guess this is your braindump idea. Writers block is like constipation of the mind..so if you are all blocked up…vent
Hanna Lynch says
I admit that I contact essay writing services (of course as per the review in topessayservices.com) once in a while but I also do write my own essays and articles. I must say that one of the worst enemies of a write is having to go through this “writer’s block” phase. I get this a lot especially in the morning. No matter how I try to concentrate, I cannot. Good thing, you shared these tips. Thanks a lot!
Oh wow! The last one was awesome. Write about writers’ block. I’ve already read about these meditation, break and all. But writing about writers’ block is fresh and sounds working. I doubt if you are in writers’ block and so writing this
It happens. There will be times that you won’t have the ideas to write about it.
That is ok. I also encourage those that post more often, it happens to them a lot. Slow it down and wait for few days for some ideas to regenerate in your brain.
Hi Jane,
This is one of the best ideas I have read on dealing with writers block. I mean, blogging is supposed to be a means of expressing our thoughts and adding our voice to the what was going around us!
What better way of dealing with writers block is there than telling others just what is happening to us?
Just smart, Jane!
I have a goal of writing 1,000 words every day. Not all of it’s blogging and it doesn’t all get published but I find that sitting down every day and just doing it no matter what makes the process kind of automatic. I also have a list of topics that I keep adding to, so when it’s time to write and I can’t think of something, I just check the list.
Quite informative post thanks for sharing. I’ve read this info first time and it’s really very informative.
The thing that gets me is that people seem to think that writer’s block is something we can ‘t control. It isn’t. Great writers and song writers don’t just hang out and “wait for inspiration.” They show up every day and freakin WRITE! Yeah, lot’s of the stuff will be crap but the key is volume and consistency. There’s really no such thing as writer’s block. Only a failure of resolve, determination and persistence. Call me old school, but I suy to set a goal of, say, 1000 words a day. You won’t publish most of it but you’ll have material to draw from. AND, you’ll build momentum. Just DO IT!
Really interesting post. Having written on a same topic for more than a couple of months, i was totally unable to write anything of quality for weeks. I would recommend every writer NEVER to take on projects that require producing content on limited niche. Thanks for the useful tips on recovering from a writer’s block.
When I get writers block I like to do something fun and take my mind off of everything. Regroup and return to business at hand. Good post.
Mr.MakingUsmile