Write around the block: 5 ways to beat Writer’s Block

Some people think that Writer’s Block is a myth. The idea that someone could be rendered incapable of transferring their thoughts from brain to paper seems too far-fetched.

If you’re one of them, you have obviously never experienced the tyranny represented by a blank sheet or screen.

Anyone can be struck by Writer’s Block

Writer’s block is real. It is very even-handed, afflicting seasoned veterans and newcomers alike. And it really can put an otherwise creative mind into a state of frozen helplessness. Famous writers left temporarily incapable of putting pen to paper include prolific authors like Leo Tolstoy, Ernest Hemingway, Stephen King and JK Rowling.

Writer’s Block doesn’t choose its victims just from those fortunate enough to make their living by the pen. It can strike anyone faced with putting something down on paper; a job application, a school or college assignment, a business report, a letter of resignation, or a first attempt at creative writing.

Irrespective of who you are or where you are in your writing career, unless you are very lucky you will, at some point, suffer from Writer’s Block. The question is not can you overcome it? You can.

The big question is: how will you overcome it?

It can be beaten – and here’s how.

Here are five ways to kick-start the writing process:

1. WRITE. It may seem obvious but it’s also true. An athlete trains to run by running. Writers should use the same approach. Write something every day. It could be a shopping list; a memo; a letter to a friend. It’s immaterial. What matters is the process of putting words onto paper or screen. Once you start to fill a blank sheet or screen it begins to look less daunting.

2. Take time out. Go for a walk and run through the things you want to say. Make sure you carry a notebook or recorder to capture any choice words or phrases that pop into your mind. In fact, try to carry a notebook as a matter of course. Some writers always have a notebook or memo cards for this specific purpose. Then, when times are bad a quick rummage through a notebook or cards might be enough to provide the necessary inspiration.

3. If the first sentence or paragraph won’t come, no matter how hard you try, simply ignore it. Frequently, its’ the prospect of making the leap into a new project that causes the problem. So, start somewhere else. Begin in the middle and work backwards to the opening paragraph. Where you start is, basically, immaterial. It’s where you end that counts and, frequently, getting those first words down on paper will be enough to unfreeze the brain. With any luck, something you write will also provide the spark of inspiration for the all-important lead sentence.

4. Similarly, take an object, or even a single word, and just start writing about it. Look around your office, pick an object – any object, it doesn’t have to be special – and write a brief description of it. Or start to list everything you know about the object; what it’s made of, who made it, where it came from. The thought processes involved could jog your brain back into creative mode and break the block.

5. Take a pad of Post-It notes and jot down key points you need to cover in whatever you are writing. These could be statistics, facts, bullet points, headings and sub-headings that would act as stepping stones from one section of your copy to the next. Then, stick them up on a wall. Study them and rearrange them like a jig saw puzzle to see how they best fit together. Once you are satisfied with the structure, pick a heading and start writing. Whether it’s the beginning, end or the middle is immaterial. The important thing is to feel comfortable writing.

For other tips on writing for publication, download my book The Upside Down Guide to writing for the Press. Or, go to my website: peter-rose-writer.co.uk.