How to Combat Writer's Block

A man at his laptop looking frustrated

As you sit down to get ready to write an email, blog, product description, bio, or the great American novel, you may experience what many have from time to time: writer's block. You stare at the computer screen and find you haven't the slightest idea what to write or how to begin. You've either hit a wall, or you keep starting over. It happens to everyone, even the most accomplished writers. But you don't have to let it discourage you because, as the saying goes, "This, too, shall pass." However, if you write for a living and are obligated to meet deadlines, you do not have the luxury to wait for your spring of creativity to start flowing again. There are solutions to overcome your blockage, but first, you must understand what's causing your writer’s block.

When you are feeling stuck in generating new ideas, it may be that you are experiencing either mental fatigue, anxiety, a lack of inspiration, external distractions, or pressure. When experiencing writer's block, take stock of how you feel now. Are you overworked, insecure, unmotivated, pressured to meet a deadline, or is your environment keeping you from focusing? When these emotions come into play, you need to stop and refocus. Stopping is easy, but how do you get back in the groove to write again and be productive?

The following are some tips you can take, depending on what has led to your temporary dry well of inspiration.

Just get it down—When you feel hindered by fear and self-doubt, it's best to walk away from what you are trying to write about and redirect your creativity to writing about something different. Write about anything that comes to mind or choose a prompt to help you get started. Don't worry about grammar or spelling, surrender to your stream of consciousness to see where it takes you. You may find that writing about a different topic or just getting your feelings down in a journal will unleash a whole new perspective that will help you regain confidence.

Take regular breaks—Time constraints can lead to much pressure to perform. Although some work better under pressure, the creative process has a life of its own and cannot be rushed. If you have difficulty operating on a rigid timeline, you may need to negotiate a longer turnaround time. If the pressure is self-induced, then it is time to slow down. Give your mind a chance to rest and replenish by walking, meditating, reading, or simply relaxing.

Find a new creative space—Changing the environment can be helpful. Instead of sitting at your desktop praying for inspiration, go to the library, a coffee shop, outdoors, or another room to write. Altering the scenery is sometimes all you need to spark those creative juices.   

Eliminate external distractions—A noisy environment is never conducive to concentration. Find a quiet place in your home or the community and mute electronic devices so that you can work without interruption and disruption. Play soft, soothing music to help keep you engaged.

Set a schedule—Find out when your most productive time of day is and only write during that time. For instance, I like mornings because my mind is at its freshest after a night of rest. Stick to it, and you'll find it becomes a habit.

Ask for feedback—Talk to other writers or organize a group discussion to gather opinions and advice about your writing. By discussing ideas with others, you can receive fresh insights.

Set smaller, achievable goals—Don't overwhelm yourself with large chunks of work. Breaking down your tasks into manageable parts will boost your confidence and motivation.

Get assistance with writing tools—Writing applications are great aids to help you get started or move your writing forward. Some examples are ChatGPT, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Grammarly, Prowriting Aid, Ulysses, or Shrivener. They can help you organize and structure your ideas.

Writing can be difficult, especially when you are experiencing writer's block. When that happens, tune into how you feel and consider the ways mentioned to help get your writing routine back on track. Whether taking a long walk, discussing, using a writing tool, or doing something else, you can rekindle your creativity in no time.

If you need more help with your writing, The Prolific Word offers various writing services to streamline the process. For more information about our services, please visit our service page, contact us here, or email us at theprolificword@gmail.com.

A Letter to My 20-Year-Old Self

Dear 20-year-old Andrea,

Getting through college and establishing your career offers many challenges. If it were easy, you wouldn't learn lessons that can help you forge ahead and make your dreams come true.

Have courage because the more you stumble, the more you learn. As you become more savvy in navigating your life, you will gain more confidence. With increased self-assuredness, you will see opportunities to grow further in your personal and professional life that you hadn't noticed before.

Take calculated risks,

A woman writing a letter

but do enjoy the journey along the way. While on the yellow brick road to Oz, you never know who or what you may come in contact with.

Be prepared for many delightful and daunting experiences. I promise you that you will better cope with disappointment and accept joy into your life without suspicion.

My main character, Miranda, from my upcoming Second-Chance Romance novel (can you believe your older self is writing a book?), is learning to trust again and embrace a new chapter in her life. Think of your future self as Miranda on a path to rediscovery. Let your inner wisdom lead the way! You’ve got this!

Love,

65-year-old Andrea

Should Authors Blog?

Blogging is one way to assist you with your marketing efforts. With regards to being an author, blogging is intended to gain readers. Although it is unnecessary, you must consider whether blogging would be productive for you. If you are unsure, you need to answer some questions. Can you commit to writing consistently so that you stay fresh and relevant? Do you have topics or expertise related to your book that can gain you credibility? Do you have a newsletter that you email out regularly? Are you looking for influencers to support your work? If you answered yes to these, writing a regular blog may be a good component of your marketing plan. If unsure, consider what would turn you off from writing a blog. Would it cut into your book-writing time? If you think writing a blog may cause delays or procrastination in completing your manuscript, don't do it. Also, if you expect to be easily and generously paid, that often does not happen due to much competition. However, it is not out of the question. You can find platforms such as Medium, where you can pick up supplemental income, but you need to be patient because it takes time to build momentum.

Suppose you are willing to write regularly and believe you have information your readers would be interested in to solve their pain points. In that case, a blog is a great avenue for staying in front of your audience and drawing new followers to become loyal readers.

If you have never written a blog and think you would be interested in starting one, here are some tips to consider in your execution:

Consistency: You must devote time or develop a writing schedule to stay on task with creating a regular blog posting. If you post one month and then fall behind and don't post for a few months, your material will appear outdated, and your readers may lose interest and drop off.

Expertise: Write in your field of knowledge or on a topic related to your book. If you already appeal to a specific audience, keep your subject focused on a nuance in which your readers are looking for enlightenment. If you want to build an audience, then be prepared that this will not happen overnight. You need to keep writing and providing valuable information to delight your readers and build trust over time.

Cross-promotion: Work with media influencers and other authors to share each other's posts. You can swap content on newsletters, link to others' blogs, or be a guest blogger on another's site. Make your blog accessible to comments and questions, which can help you gain the social proof you need to demonstrate your authority on a subject.

Relevant subject matter: Create content that answers frequently asked questions and tackles issues and problems often experienced by your readers. If uncertain, you can survey your audience or find out what words or phrases they use in their search engine queries. You can get search query data from Google Analytics.

Choose a blogging platform: There are forums like Blogspot, WordPress, Squarespace, Substack, and Medium. However, the best place to blog is on your website since that is your home base, and you can drive traffic with SEO.

Readability and clarity: The subject matter should be clearly understood in the title or tagline, and it must grab attention or offer a benefit. Don't worry about the length of the text, as long as it is scannable. Use bullets, white space, subheadings, and at least one image to break up the wording and make it less cumbersome to peruse and more attractive to the eye.

Call to action: Although blogs are about warming your audience, not selling to them, you would like to gain a following in hopes that they will eventually buy your books. At the end of the blog, include a way to contact you or provide a link to your About Page or Bio. If you give access to comments, ask a question at the end of a blog to spark conversation, which can increase engagement, thus ranking.

Make it easy to search and share: Enable your post to be shared and allow your audience to search your archives by category or most popular posts so they can easily read the breadth of your work. They will appreciate this, and it will hopefully give them a reason to return.

SEO: Each blog should be categorized and tagged. Use keywords in the title and subheadings that your readers would use to search your topic.

If you can devote the time to writing a regularly scheduled blog, blogging is one piece of marketing that can go a long way to promoting your writing to your readers. By making it a habit to write a blog, you can improve your writing over time while driving traffic to your website and developing a loyal readership. In addition, you can build advocacy through your blog by giving and receiving support through feedback, swapping, and guest posts with other authors, podcasters, and media influencers. However, you should only blog if you think it will serve your purpose and not bog you down or distract you from your other writing.