A Writer’s Block happens to every writer, be it an aspirant or a seasoned writer. The way, they handle them, remains unique to each writer. It is more like a burnout of ideas and words leading to inability in generating ideas for writing on a topic and spacing out.
The negative impact of this phenomena of writing happens to effectively stop all progress in the writing task. Sometimes, writers may tend to be discouraged and incorrectly inference that, they are not capable of writing at all.
I have experienced writer’s block many times over the years. At the same time, I have also learned to manage it to an extent. This is not a guarantee that I might never have an attack of writer’s block.
But, the previous experiences have equipped me with offsetting the block using some novel methods that are unique to my personality. But, the challenge is unique for each episode of writer’s block and a different method needs to be used each time.
I would say that, I enjoy writing as much as reading. When I encounter a block, I usually ensure to take up reading or watching something that is not related to writing. Sometimes, a well-told story will open any adverse effect of the writer’s block that I am experiencing.
When Do I Have a Writer’s Block?
Observation over the years have shown a pattern to when I would encounter a writer’s block. In my aspirant days, I did not know how to handle them. But, these days, I know exactly what I need to do for getting me out of the fixated blinking cursor.
It often happens when I have been unable to create new ideas or just rehashing old one. A typical case of burnout. There is some amount of ennui and inability to process ideas into logical write-up. In other cases, it could be because I feel depressed or dissuaded to write.
But, I also found out that I tend to have unique sets of problem to overcome during a writer’s block. This would mean that, every time the same trick cannot be used to suffice the challenge of overcoming the block. So, I need to be prepared to use a method that would unbridle my will to write.
Music to Unbridle Creative Writing
First principle of using music, at least for me, is to allow a song to lead you into the writing zone and not out of it. Make sure your choice of song does not distract you from the task of writing, while ensuring that you stay focused on the topic.
I usually write while listening to one song played in loop. I pick soft country rock as my preferred choice of song selection. In the beginning, the song is the focus especially the drums. But after one round of the song, the lyrics no longer capture the thinking mind. My right hemisphere takes over as my left process the thoughts logically. Then, I begin to work on the writing task with earnestness.
Using music was my trick for writing blocks, especially for those that, I did at home, but I used a different method at workplaces. At home, my parents knew that I loved playing the music in loop while writing. Being understanding as they were, though it took some time to adjust, eventually, they accepted this quirk of mine and restrained commenting on this habit.
Workplace Self-Starter for Technical Writing
As a Technical Writer, I would read up what I had written the previous day. The act would rekindle the objectives of the User Guide and that would open the windows of ideas for further writing. Another method was to plan the entire writing into sequence of topics. The additional notes that, I had written down helped me to unhinge any writer’s block.
One thing about workplace writing, the fact that I never considered it as my home but more of a work-station. I am an homing pigeon. For me the entire world is my home and this is the reason, why I love to work from home a lot, more than an active full time onsite position in an office.
I would have a routine at my workplace and I would follow it sincerely. This way my brain muscles are trained to work without getting into a freeze zone for words. If the block persists then, I will try to create a graphic presentation of the entire process that, I’m writing about.
I would try to use the lull time in writing for researching and finding different method of making the user guide easy to scan for information. The breaking down of task is the go to way to keep a steady track of things.
Workplace Self-Starter for SEO Content Writing
Sometimes, use the office environment to help with the writing task and it would be helpful too! For example, I would daily take the stairs to get to the office on the third floor, this helped me to separate thoughts from home to thoughts about my writing task at office.
A smooth transition for the two responsibilities helps in keep the distraction to minimal point. This does not guarantee that all will be smooth sailing. But, the mind is prepared to get into the writing mode.
Preparedness for the day’s work is a great way to begin any writing. There are moments when things need logical ordering to help in breaking into the hardest writer’s block.
The next best option, is to view the content strategy used by the company or group. You may even try creating your own strategy that would be effective. This gives you the needed spurt to think out of the box or explore the boxed in condition.
The wide range of topics are everywhere, but when one is faced with writer’s block, one may not be able to see the tree in the woodland. To get the concentrated view of a leaf in a tree that, takes practice and a healthy writing habit.
Journaling At Workplace
I always had an online journal, even at workplace, much to the disapproval of my programmer younger sister. She kept telling me often and even now that, ‘it is not professional to maintain a journal at workplace.’
But I would keep it despite those sisterly alerts. It would help me in removing distraction to my thinking mind and focus on my writing. This meant that, a network administrator and higher up may have access to my files.
If they were to see these journal entries, I could be judged. I cared less about being judged because, the fact that a stray thought is getting in the way of my work makes me more uncomfortable.
Some of these journals contained poetry which is my way of accessing the right hemisphere; while the left is checking out logic behind the creativity that keep splashing in my thought spaces. I have been keeping the online journal from my first job outside my father’s company.
Routine Before Writing
I, religiously, follow a writing routine and that has been the standard for a long time and even now. I remember the first time, when I wrote a story for my brother’s daughter and my niece who was a baby in the cradle, it was on a old foldable dinning table with no clutter other than the sheaves of paper on the table and a pen to write.
In the initial days of writing, I did not know how to channel my creativity and sometimes failed in producing the best work due to writer’s block. But, with time, I would not only know, how to handle the creative inspiration; but also, learn from each unique writing situation.
The key to creativity lies in the channel of routine for writing. The writing desk at home or office should be uncluttered and clean for me. I need to have the photos of my spiritual guides The Mother and Sri Aurobindo to inspire and to protect me. The environment and familiarly same setting would mean that the mind would settle down to writing for the day.
To Summarise the Cure for Writer’s Block
I would say the above few methods that, I use for overcoming writer’s block is not something rare, it is novel and unique for me. Finding what works for you, as a cure for writer’s block is a process by itself.
The best solutions are often the custom-made solutions that, you need to discover on your path, as a writer in any field. Don’t give up, until you have found what works for you, and how you can tap into the reserves of creativity to bring out your best works.
Itinerant Storyteller 