Writer’s block happens to the best of us. That’s just a fact of life. And that’s all fine and dandy until you’re staring down the deadline of your research paper or fictional piece and nothing you do can make the words flow out of your fingertips and onto your Word document. You sit and watch the blinking cursor and you swear that it’s mocking your inability to produce content.
So, what can you do?? Well, one, breathe. And two, read on! Because I have a few tips that will hopefully help to make those words flow again and cure you of your writer’s block.
Pick something. Anything.
One thing my professor told me about writer’s block during my sophomore year of SCAD was that it’s not actually that you have no ideas, it’s often times that you have too many ideas. Sounds completely backward, but sometimes it might be best if you just pick something and research the topic a little further. Don’t wait for inspiration to come, because then it might be too late! Go search for it yourself and be proactive.
Write and write and write and….
But…what if you actually have no ideas? Like, not even a hint of one? Yeah, I’ve been there too. So that’s when I just write. It doesn’t have to be about any topic in particular, and often times it’ll be a stream-of-conscious type of thing, but it really helps to work out what I’m thinking. Often times, seeing stuff written on a page will help distract from the “I haven’t done anything and this thing is due tomorrow!!” anxiety as well.
Chat it Up
Friends are amazing. They give great hugs, great advice, sometimes they buy you food and on top of everything else, they listen to you. So talk to them! Sometimes your brain just can’t put your idea into words on the page, but when you have a casual discussion, it’ll come out naturally. Call up a friend and tell them about your paper. Either they might have some advice or interesting insight or your brain will work everything out on its own.
Take a Hike
If you’ve been toiling over your inability to write something for the past hour, then get up and take a walk. Clear your head and change your scenery. Maybe the white walls of your dorm aren’t so inspiring, but taking a walk around Savannah could help to relax you and also inspire a new thought that wouldn’t have come just sitting at your desk.
And lastly, even though it’s not a technique to inspire writing, celebrate when you finally overcome your block! Writer’s block sucks, so when you beat it, it’s the best feeling ever and that deserves a celebration (even if that just means getting a Twix bar from the vending machine).
Hopefully these tips come in handy for those who are often plagued by writer’s block. Best of luck to you and know that you can do this!