Beat That Writer’s Block (With a Shovel, If Necessary)

Writer’s block is, arguably, the worst aspect of being a writer. Who would’ve thought that doing what you love most could cause you, at times, to want to bang your head violently against your desk? However, there are ways to beat that writer’s block blues and get back in the habit of typing merrily away at the keyboard.

Many writers find people-watching to be an interesting pastime. After all, as a writer, you’re constantly aware of what drives people. Why do they act the way that they do? You notice their mannerisms and the little things that make people unique and you try to shape that into your characters.

So, if you’re stuck for ideas about your next great protagonist, go to a local hangout and just sit there. Don’t be creepy or intrusive, but allow the world to seep into your eyeballs. Take in the people around you –use them for inspiration. For instance, you might notice the man who’s terribly afraid of bees. Perhaps your hero has a quirky phobia that makes him interesting too. Allow the people around you to work your imagination and stretch it to infinity.

People-watching is also a great way to give your eyes a break from staring too long at a blank Word document. That, in itself, is a bonus.

Another thing many writers find helpful is prompts. Prompts are, essentially, suggestions given by others about what to write. They can be extremely specific to something of the effect of: “your hero has a blue Shar Pei who suddenly begins speaking to him and it kinda creeps him out, but it turns out the Shar Pei is an alien with a message”. Or a prompt can merely be one word, usually an adjective, like “electric” to get your creative mojo going.

Prompts take away the anxiety many writers have of thinking of that first, initial idea, which can be the hardest part about being a writer. They’re also great exercises while waiting on your next great idea to strike.

Perhaps the best advice for a writer’s block sufferer is to just take a break. Yes, you might have a deadline looming. However, it’s a well-known fact that pushing your mind to the limit will cause it to fracture into tiny, rambling pieces – that doesn’t make for a good storyteller.

Do something other than writing. Listen to music or go to the movies. Both are excellent ways to take your mind off of typing and you know what? They’re also great inspirations to get you over that writer’s block hump.

Explore. Try different things to get the writer’s block out of your system. Different things work for different people. But when you find what works for you, you’ll be back writing in no time (and you’ll feel a world better).