The dreaded block! As writers we’ve all been through it. It’s a regular part of most of our lives and we’ve probably come up with ways of combatting it when it rears its ugly head. Some of the time.
In case you still need a little help, here are 21 suggestions on how to eliminate writer’s block, or at least keep it at bay.
01. Read Some Motivational Quotes.
You know the ones. They pop up when you type ‘motivational quotes’ into Google. Pages of them. Alternatively they’re all over social media. Take a break and try looking for ones you haven’t seen before.
02. Go Out Somewhere.
Break your routine. Step away and get out of your normal environment. Take in a concert or a meal at a restaurant. Visit the corner store for a bag of peanuts and a soda. Do something different.
03. Map Stuff Out.
Try planning your content. Come up with a basic outline in Google Docs. Begin filling in the gaps and don’t stress about their order.
04. Play Some ‘Mood’ Music.
You know what music you enjoy and what inspires you. Pop on some tunes and drift away for a while. Embrace the thoughts that you get from listening. Relieve your personal pressure by altering your frame of mind.
05. Be Emotional. Get Angry.
06. Go Through Your Bills.
What greater motivation could you have? You need to pay your bills. You need to write in order to pay them. Your subconscious should do the rest for you.
07. Wake Up Early or Write at Night.
Change your normal routine. Wake up early if you’re a morning person or write at night if you’re a night owl. Appreciate the peace and solitude of the sleeping world outside. Build your productivity by taking advantage of your quiet surroundings.
08. Start in the Middle.
Alter your normal process. Don’t begin at the beginning where your block is. Find somewhere in the middle to start and go back to the beginning once your sanity is restored. Headlines and intros can wait sometimes.
09. Embrace the Mundane.
Your tedious tasks can serve a purpose. Clean your house. Remove leaves from the gutters. Mow your lawn. And then bath or shower. You’ll be surprised how the act of relaxing and getting clean after manual work can trigger inspiration.
10. Try the ‘Glass-of-Water’ Technique.
11. Go Offline.
Shut down your computer and your phone and physically write. Move away from your desk and pick up a pen and a notebook and just WRITE!
12. Read.
As a copywriter you’re probably reading a lot already! Find yourself a good novel or biography, or something related to your required subject matter and read. If possible, visit the local library or a coffee shop and do your reading there. Change your environment up a bit.
13. Sleep.
Sometimes it’s best to let your subliminal mind beat the block for you. Sneaking in an hour or two’s sleep when you’d normally be writing can make a huge difference. Waking refreshed after dreaming can create a new vigour and revitalise your thought processes.
14. Play a Game.
Whether it be a pc game or a physical board game, you’ll release your thoughts from the pressure pot you’re in. Use your mind for something different to your impending copy or content.
15. Visit Somewhere New.
16. Do Something Physical.
Go for a jog or a hike. Skip. Go to the gym. Get your endorphins moving and your adrenaline rushing. These activities are good for your mind, providing stimulus you need for enhancing your creative functions.
17. Write From an Alien Perspective.
Write from the perspective of someone or something foreign. Be a fly on the wall, a famous movie star or, yes, an alien. Ideas and inspiration will flow more easily when you aren’t being yourself.
18. Call a Friend.
Call a friend and share your problem. Speaking to somebody else often alleviates a block and allows the required juices to flow. If you can’t call a friend, create an imaginary one and discuss your situation from two different perspectives. Then consider visiting your shrink. Been there!
19. Don’t Self-Flagellate.
Don’t beat yourself up. It happens. Your inspiration will return in time and, when it does, it’ll probably be stronger than ever. Take time to encourage yourself and remind yourself of how damn good you actually are!
20. Deny Having Writer’s Block.
So far we’ve looked at 20 suggestions on how to eliminate writer’s block. Some will work for you and others won’t so try what you think might help and adopt what does. I have one more suggestion for you – one that works well for me and has become my personal favourite. It maintains my productivity levels and keeps my ‘block battles’ to a minimum…
21. Use an AI Content Generator.
An AI content generator, like ContentBot, has numerous features for you to experiment with. I’ve found it invaluable for coming up with headlines, creating editable short form copy and long form content, and also make use of its plagiarism checker feature. It also assists with generating copy through its copywriting formulas features, which include PAS, AIDA and PBS.
The trick is to use ContentBot in the manner it is meant to be used – as a writing aid. As human beings, we’re more creative than AI-generated content will probably ever be but this awesome tool can assist with making a writer’s job easier, including minimising the chances of writer’s block. Give the free trial a try here.
In Conclusion
Writer’s block can creep up when and where you least expect it. Having a few decent ways to combat will make your life that much easier, and remove stress caused by impending deadlines. Incorporating some of these 21 suggestions on how to eliminate writer’s block can have a profound and satisfying effect on your state-of-mind, stress levels and relationships.
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