Let’s get ready to write!
Listen while you read:
Yeah, I paid attention to the lecture on Maslow’s hierarchy on needs in AP Psych! In all seriousness, the simplest solutions are often the ones most overlooked. You don’t have to major in neuroscience (though my father probably wishes I did) to know that your brain doesn’t like when you deprive it of the things it wants most: food, water, and sleep. Check in with yourself: When did you last eat, and was it satisfying? Did you get enough sleep last night? Have you had even one sip of water in the past three days? Grab your favorite meal, take a good nap, and/or start chugging water like you do with the doubly caffeinated dark roast iced coffees that probably make up a solid 10 percent of your body composition right now—just me? I really hope not.
Because people operate differently in different environments, this one is really based on personal preference. Whether it’s a bustling corner coffee shop, a specific section of your school’s library, the privacy and comfort of your own living situation, and so on—find you place and give it a role in your writing process.
I never feel more inspired to bleach my bathroom, spend two hours doing laps around Target only to purchase a box of cereal, and walk my nonexistent fish than when a writing deadline is approaching and I’m struggling to put words to Word document. If you live with roommates and it’s your week to clean, if you have to do laundry, if you’re two frozen meals and half a bottle of ketchup away from running out of food, take care of all that before you sit down to write. You’ll not only feel more productive when you’ve already completed everything else, but you’ll also feel less compelled to pull yourself away from writing to finish household tasks that you’d otherwise run marathons to get out of doing—or briskly walk, you will not catch me sweating.
Sometimes inspiration strikes at the most inconvenient times. Whether you’re in the middle of a stats lecture, lying awake in your dorm at 1 AM but you don’t want to disturb your roommate who needs to sleep well for their morning classes, or 10 rounds into a game of Cards Against Humanity and just waiting for the perfect question to answer with that card—you brain, seemingly out of nowhere, bestows upon you the most captivating title, a hilarious joke, a thought-provoking prompt, or some really insightful analysis; and you don’t have the time or space to fully flesh it out and add into your final piece. Make a quick note of your idea, so you can come back to it at a better time. Or if you’re anything like me, with lots of thoughts and few preexisting pieces to seamlessly incorporate them into, having a document to store everything and serve as a cove of inspiration when the oasis of creativity runs dry is so helpful to have on hand.
It doesn’t matter if you’re writing a 100-word listicle or a 100,000-word PhD thesis, outlines are an amazing way to organize and develop your ideas, find potential informational or analytical gaps in what you’re trying to express, and even realize ways to link your points before you begin composing the final draft. An outline is also a good way to finish the more factual, argumentative, and commentary elements of your piece—which are often the easiest parts to complete because, if you choose what you’re writing about, you know what you want to say about it.
This point bounces off the previous. Work where your mind takes you, even if it takes you to the last point first and the first point last. The beautiful thing about writing is that there’s little convention or order to the process. This isn’t math; there’s no PEMDAS to follow. You can work on whatever you want whenever you want. As long as you’re proud of the end result, it’s a masterpiece, no matter how “messy” its inception and creation was.
Read other articles, essays, and books of any genre, listen to music or a podcast, watch YouTube videos, stream a TV show or movie—if it has words, it counts. Not only can these directly provide a medium to form a written piece on (ie, an album or book review, streaming recommendations), but they also can serve as examples of effective or ineffective writing or scripting, upon which you can develop your own do’s and don’ts based on what worked or what didn’t. Finally, there are larger themes and ideas to pull from these works and spin off to create your own.
It could be the latest viral TikTok challenge (coughdeviouslickscough), a celebrity’s trending on Twitter for saying something out-of-touch (pretty much everything that Elon Musk posts), or Reddit users’ just generally being Reddit users (you ALL are the assholes). The world of social media is one giant cesspool of content ranging from immaculate to illegal, and there’s always something someone has to say. Document any post that stands out for any reason: how poignant or original it is, how ignorant or offensive it it, or even how sheerly stupid it is and how you can’t believe you just wasted your precious time watching someone ruin their white marble countertop with pizza sauce! (Can you tell I’m still quite heated about those Rich Lax videos?) Then, channel your thoughts and opinions into a commentary that will not only serve you a therapeutic purpose but also cater to an audience of similar thoughts and opinions about that post or trend.
I’m about to get romantic—writing shouldn’t feel like a job, especially when you don’t secure a bag through it. Writing should feel like an outlet, a way to express yourself—your passions, interests, personality, quirks, whatever else makes you the beautiful person you are. Unlike other outlets of self-expression, writing can take exponentially more effort and patience, and we can’t always have the time or energy for it. When you need a break, take it. Break out your selfcare routine, treat yourself to some good food or a good time with your loved ones, and dedicate yourself to activities besides writing.
You are a wonderful writer. The temporary hindrance of writer’s block does not take away from that, and you can and will overcome it. Look back at previous examples of your writing to remind yourself of your capabilities and skill. Never feel ashamed to seek reassurance by turning to your community of fellow writers (like your chapter of Her Campus). You got this, bestie.