Chopping through Writer’s Block

Posted on 01. Jul, 2007 by George in Study Skills (general), Writing

Writer’s block has got to be the most frustrating things writers have to grapple with. It’s especially troubling if you have a looming deadline and you’re just staring at your computer with no idea what to write. But even if you don’t have a deadline and you just want to come up with a written piece, it’s still hard being unable to produce anything.

Some people will tell you to just buckle down and start writing, because it will all come together once you get started. But what if you’re simply drawing blanks? Well, don’t just sit there and mope. Try these simple tricks to oil your imagination’s gears a little and kick start your writing.

• Get out of the house. A walk around town may be just the thing to help give you ideas and topics for your story or article. Observe your surroundings and the people around you and try to think up stories about them.

• Read up on your topic. This is particularly helpful if you’re assigned to write an article, essay, or report. It’ll do good if you find out what aspects of the topic have already been extensively discussed, which would help you think of a new way to approach it.

• Take out short stories or essays written by your favorite writers and rewrite them. Approach the topics from a different perspective. Apply your own touches and points of view and you may come up with some ideas of your own.

• Grab a pen and a notebook and just freewrite. Write whatever comes to mind, jot down every thought you’re having. Note every thought you have about your topic. You can even write down your feelings about writer’s block. You don’t have to follow any certain topic, and you can even ignore grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Just let your mind wander and scribble away!

As another writing exercise, you might also want to imagine yourself in new places and different scenarios. Try to imagine how you’d behave or what you would do in such situations and write a story around that topic.

• Do something else entirely. Relax and try not to think of writing for a while. You may be pushing yourself too hard to come up with something that it’s become difficult for you to actually start writing. Talk to a friend, cook yourself a meal, and refresh your mind a little before settling down to work again.