Learn Writer’s Block in Ten Minutes

There are many symptoms of writer’s block with everybody ain t your friend quotes, but the most prominent one is a complete inability to write anything. It can have a variety of causes, most notably the fear that what you produce won’t be good enough and will disappoint people who are reading.

Writer’s block often starts with focusing too much on other writers – comparing yourself to others in your genre or relying too much on their example. The best way to beat writer’s block is to stay away from it altogether before it spreads and gets worse.

1. Avoid reading other writers.

It’s okay to read them and enjoy them, but do not let them ruin your work. Rather than getting inspired by how another writer did it, stay away from them completely. All you will be doing is comparing your writing to theirs and will only make you want to change the way you write because of what others have done and others have said about it. Never allow yourself to read anything but what inspires you!

2. Create your own style guide for writing

Often referred to as a ‘headquarters’ or a ‘creative notebook’. It’s a handy place in which to store ideas, plot points and plans. Use this to keep your imagination engaged and refreshed.

3. Refuse to let others tell you how to write.

There is no right way or wrong way to write, which is why you’re a writer – so make up your own way if something works for you! The best way to not let others influence how you write is by avoiding those who only tell you what they think of your writing rather than praise or critique it. Always ask the right questions and always seek constructive criticism, but don’t let their opinion get into your head – it will only make things worse!

4. Stick to one story at a time

This goes for all genres, but especially for fantasy and sci-fi writers. To avoid getting writer’s block, you must focus on just one story and make it the best that you can. When you have multiple stories, it is easy to get frustrated with them (after all, they are your stories and involve your characters). This frustration cannot be used in a helpful manner anymore and will result in your being unable to write at all. Stick to one story at a time until there is nothing more that you can do with it.

5. Work on something else

If you are really struggling, work on something else – a small project or even a different genre entirely. Taking your mind off of writing for a while can help refocus your efforts for when you return to it later. 

6. Write something else

If you are working on something else and still can’t get anything out, try writing about something completely different. If you’re stuck on fantasy, write about a pirate or a traveling salesman. If you’re stuck on science fiction, write about space travel or alien invasion. Try to go somewhere completely new and keep your eyes open for inspiration when writing about the new topic.

7. Get rid of any distractions

Often this is where writer’s block starts – once there’s an intrusion in the writing process from outside objects such as video games or social media, it becomes difficult to focus entirely on your story and will cause frustration that quickly turns into writer’s block.

8. Make your own schedule

Many writers let writing take up more of their time than it should. If you’re really struggling with writer’s block, make a schedule for yourself and stick to it! By sticking to your own schedule, you will be forced to work on your story when applied pressure is put on you. 

9. Reward yourself

If you feel that writing is a chore and something that you have no desire to do, try giving yourself a reward for finishing each section of the story or each chapter in general – a new game or music can do wonders for inspiration!

10. Take a break

One of the worst things you can do when you have writer’s block is to force yourself to write – this will only make it worse! Take a break, go out with friends or take a walk around the neighborhood. Come back in an hour with a fresh mindset and see what you can do with those ideas. Eventually, you will be able to write again.

11. Keep writing

You may feel like you’ve lost all ability to continue working on your story, but if you continue writing, no matter how bad it might seem at first, keep going – your creativity will eventually come back to you and before long, you’ll be writing just as good as ever before!

12. Write anyway

Don’t worry about how your writing might look or if it will be liked or not – it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you’re writing something. Write with the simple goal of getting anything out onto the page, even if that is your worst writing and has holes in it the size of a supernova. It’s better to have something than nothing!

Summary:

Writer’s block can be a scary thing to face, especially if you’re an aspiring author who is still getting used to the publishing industry. By following this article, you can learn how to conquer writer’s block in just ten minutes and get back to where you left off!