Why Writer’s Block Can Help Your Work Flow

Let’s face it. At some point in our lives as writers, we experience this scenario where we just look at the cursor and we’re unable to type anything. Our hands just get stuck above the keyboard, and we don’t know what to do. Maybe you’re unsure of what to say. Perhaps, you don’t know how to start. Maybe it’s a lack of motivation. Or could it be the dreaded writer’s block?

If you feel you’re alone, don’t. Many writers experience writer’s block. Trust me, I do too. 

It sucks, doesn’t it? 

It may impact your productivity if you’re unsure of what to do. Some can get out of it instantly (good for them), while others take longer. And that’s fine! It happens. Even famous writers have had it too and they got through it.

Fortunately, though, we can overcome writer’s block. Writers have different ways to look for a way out of the roadblock, and you can do it too.

In this article, we discuss why writer’s block happens, how to overcome it, and what ways you can become productive even with it.

Here’s Why Writers Get Writer’s Block

Writer’s block is unavoidable at times. It happens when you hit a roadblock or when you’re not in the best condition. That’s a perfectly normal occurrence. Remember, when you have writer’s block, you need to understand why you’re experiencing it.

The first step to knowing that you have it is acknowledging it. So, by then, you need to identify as to what the reasons are for your creative block.

According to Jeff Goins, a well-known blogger, he listed eight possible reasons for your writer’s block: 

If you do have one of these, don’t fret. Most of us have had it too. Fear, perfectionism, exhaustion, we’ve all experienced that as a creative blocker.

By having acknowledged what reason you may have, the next step is overcoming writer’s block.

How to Overcome Your Writer’s Block

The great thing about writer’s block is that it’s not permanent. But for it not to become permanent, you need to act. This means you need to try out different ways to take out your writer’s block. Here are different ways you can do it:

• Rest or assess
• Take walks or workout
• Get rid of distractions
• Write somewhere else
• Time your writing

Now, look back at the reasons for the writer’s block. If you have any of those at the moment, ask yourself, “Can I still write this article or blog post at this time?”

If the answer is yes, then you have two options: Rest or assess.

Don’t punish yourself if you need to rest. If rest can help your mind feel fresh, by all means, do so. If you’re exhausted, try not to push yourself to the brink of maybe fainting or physical pain. Give yourself time to breathe and just work on it once you’re rested.

Assess what’s holding you back. Say fear’s the reason for your writer’s block. 

Ask yourself, “What am I afraid of?” 

Are you afraid of making grammar mistakes? You can use grammar and proofreading software to help you out.

Are you afraid of not writing the topic properly? Ask for help from someone or check out Google.

Remember, you always have help.

In cases where you have a deadline, you have no choice but to push through. It’s the only way for you to overcome any of those.

So how else can you overcome your writer’s block?

For those who are having a lazy day or may have difficulty starting,  talking walks might be one of the best ways to overcome writer’s block and here’s why. Imagine you’re sitting all day waiting for inspiration to come but it doesn’t. What you need to do is get off that chair and take a quick walk outside. Sometimes, walking can help you think too.

So at least, once you’ve got your brain all running again, go back and start typing what you need. Also, you get a little bit of exercise with walking too. It keeps your blood flowing as opposed to sitting around all day.

If you want to level up, you can do an actual workout. That way, you’re pumped up even more. If exercising isn’t your thing: there’s yoga or meditation to help clear your mind and keep you centered.

Here’s another way: Get rid of distractions.

For those who chose lazy as their reason for writer’s block, maybe you’re also distracted. Your phone is one of the biggest distractions you can have. You can’t turn it off because you might have an emergency. 

What you can do is set it to “Do Not Disturb” or on Airplane Mode. Maybe if you think the phone’s the ultimate distraction, you can hide it somewhere or have someone hide it for you.

If you tried those options to no avail, write somewhere else.

If you’re a freelance writer, you can go wherever you wish like a cafe, a co-working space or a library. You don’t have to stay at home all the time to do your writing. Maybe a change of environment can help you out.

If you do work in an office, maybe you can stay somewhere else other than your desk. Or if your directors or bosses are flexible, try going to a nearby cafe.

For some writers, one of their ways to get rid of writer’s block is to use timed writing. Another version of that would be the Pomodoro technique.

The Pomodoro technique is where you break down your workload or tasks at a set time.  According to Francesco Cirillo, you can do a task within 25 minutes (feel free to adjust your timer). Once done with a task, take a quick break! Plus, once you’ve acquired four Pomodoros, take a longer break then go back to work.

Some writers also do that technique too. It’s a way to get their ideas flowing. Also, when you hear the alarm ringing, it feels like you’re accomplishing something and your reward is the quick break.

For those who are perfectionists or who have impostor syndrome, yes, it can be tough. It can be a hindrance, yes, all that constant wanting to edit all the time and comparisons or feeling like you’re not who you say you are. You’ll need to understand that you will take the time to edit and edit. But know that you’re doing great. 

The Write Life did say that you can start by freewriting, it’s another way to overcome your writer’s block. It gets your ideas flowing and you’re not restricted to anything. Just write what’s on your mind.

Remember, if you’ve done this before and you’ve made it this far, you can do it again.

By the way, your favorite writers may have had experienced a bout of writer’s block.

According to Flavorwire, Maya Angelou just wrote. That’s it. She waited for the writing muse to come back, but she didn’t give up. Meanwhile, Neil Gaiman said to leave whatever you wrote for a while and focus on other things. When you’re ready, take a look at what you wrote and see how you can get through it.

Funny thing is, not all writers believe that writer’s block does exist. Nora Ephron, Pat Barker, and Gary Shteyngart don’t get curbed by writer’s block. And that’s totally fine too!

How to Be Productive

Most people would tell you just to write. Start with just one word. And another. And another.

Sometimes though you just can’t get one word in.

As someone who gets hit by the writer’s block bug, I usually listen to music or workout before writing.

So how do you use your writer’s block to become productive?

Write any ideas that come into mind. Those ideas don’t have to be part of the article. You just have to write whatever pops into your head. Then, think about how those ideas would either work in your blog or your article.

Well, if writing doesn’t work out, go out and do some chores or get away from the computer for a while. Perhaps you have another simple task needing accomplishment, you can start on that. Do something worth accomplishing. Who knows, you might just get your beloved writing muse back.

Maybe you’re bored and don’t want to start on that article yet, try some of these things The Muse recommended:

• Organize your inbox
• Fix your desk
• Look for something new to learn
• Update your LinkedIn
• Help out a colleague

If you’re not up for writing, remember to channel your productivity somewhere else. You wouldn’t want to waste that energy and then end up procrastinating.

The Bottomline

Writer’s block happens to most writers, and it’s normal to get stuck once in a while. However, writers don’t have to worry about getting stuck. Luckily, writers can overcome writer’s block in whatever way they can to get their writing mojo back.

So, don’t you worry if you’re currently experiencing writer’s block. Or if you’re about to have one. We’ve got through them, and we’re still doing fine even with it. Don’t bum out about it and start writing. You’ve got this!