Some Strange Things That Writers Do to End a Writer’s Block
A writer’s block is a painful experience that makes writers feel like eating dirt or going for days without having a bath in order to bring their creativity back. Some will drink like fish while others will smoke all the cigarettes in the store in order to end that terrible writers block. What do you do to end yours?
Writing is sickness that borders madness and when a writer’s block knocks on the door, writers will do anything in order to bring it to an end. From mundane acts that mean very little, to the most bizarre of all stuff, writers battle a writer’s block like a pregnant woman battles labor, yes…that painful childbirth!
What do you do when you have a writers block? Instead of reading or doodling or listening to soothing music or watching the television and doing similar stuff, some writers engage in stuff that only border madness.
Forget those writers who smoke cigarette after cigarette in an attempt to bribe their muse to bring back creativity when it dries, forget those writers who abuse marijuana or some other strong stuff in order to write again or those who drink like fish in a river; those who take alcohol as if there isn’t tomorrow and when they are dead drunk, manage to write something.
Some will take eight glasses of strong tea or coffee, straight from the pot and sugarless, searching for the ever elusive muse, while others will do the unexpected just to heal that writer’s block, like walking alone in the darkness, thinking, thinking, and thinking harder.
Meditation in solitary confinement works for some writers while to others it isn’t enough.
Some writers attempt to write from impossible positions, like writing while on top of the roof or writing with their legs over and above their heads while others will run naked throughout the night, round and round, looking for an end to the writers block.
There are those writers who will refuse to eat or drink until they write something, while others will not sleep until they put what they really feel on paper. Some will take a cold bath in order to bring their writer’s block to an end, while others, believe it or not, other writers will go for days, or weeks, without taking a bath…an attempt to stimulate their muse and end that writer’s block.
What do you do when you suffer a writer’s block? How do you deal with a writer’s block?
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July 20th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
How do I deal with a writer’s block? I eat, I walk, I read, I clean the room. I do varied things in other words. Life goes on. Sometimes, I try to forget that there is something that has to be written or submitted. When the inevitable comes, i.e., the deadline, I sit in front of the computer and I force the words out no matter how senseless they sound. Interesting topic, by the way.
July 20th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
How do you deal with it?
I keep myself happy to always be in the mood to write. I eat something with tryptophan.
July 20th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
How about those people that read magazines while sitting on the toilet. Now that’s strange! You never know what people do behind closed doors. When you have writer’s block, don’t write. Forcing yourself to think and think will not inspire you or renew you with fresh and creative ideas.
July 20th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Excellent article. I always know I have something to write about because I put down all my ideas in a journal. Sometimes they don’t work out. If that happens, I go to another subject and come back and maybe take the idea of the word a different way.
July 20th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Very well written, keep working good work
July 20th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
I crochet or make jewelry or play with my kids. Great job.
July 20th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Talking to myself ….
July 20th, 2010 at 6:45 pm
I just sit back, sometimes listen to classical music, and just think. Some article ideas I’ve thought up just thinking about my own situations going on at that moment with friends. Other times, I’ll just search for random questions on the internet and try to think of an article that way
Nice article there.
July 20th, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Hmm I write in a journal every day and if I dont know what to write I keep writing I don’t know what to write until something strikes my mind. I used to use marijauna daily but don’t use it anymore.
July 20th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
haha, your topics always interesting.
For me, I will stop writing, I have some articles in my “draft”, sometimes will go back and amend, sometimes will delete them altogether, once and for all. Sometimes I finally wrote something and happy about it, and suddenly it was stucked, not published yet, spoilt my mood. When I have time to write, I write nothing, sometimes I in a rush to go out but have something in my mind, funny.
July 20th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
I’m on lighter side, I take vacation for a while.
July 20th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Now if that wasn’t a lesson, on how to sit, and write your way out of a block!.. I don’t know what is he he…. liked this one very much although… I must put my hands to having fell on some sorry states just to get them juices flowing, forget the grammar…. just let it go. One never knows the next line, ” might set you alight ” hmm…. I’m off before this dries he he, cheers Leo great shout
July 20th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Writers are the last people you want to meet when they have writer’s block. Try taking a cold shower instead.
July 20th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
well.. it’s hard to know… it depends of the cause of the blocking…
July 20th, 2010 at 10:18 pm
I agree… I also have my own style… hehehe
July 20th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
I play with my daughter. Writing by sitting at the top of the roof..hoo i can’t even imagine that.
July 20th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
I agree with Doc… but it is important to make journals everyday… make it a habit… even words don’t flow like water from falls.
July 20th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
I will go away to do some other things else. Then later I will have free time to sit in front of the computer and write again. I used to carry pen and paper with me, anything I found interesting, will jot it down. When back to writing, I will scan through the list and see which topic I feel most comfortable to write at that time.
July 20th, 2010 at 11:52 pm
Ha ha quite amusing, I drink tea, or meditate.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:07 am
i never have writer block , but i do feel writing blocks at time … what do i do , i let go … never push your self for anything to an extent that it becomes an irritation …
July 21st, 2010 at 12:29 am
lol bit funny but true
July 21st, 2010 at 2:15 am
I did enjoy reading this piece. I love the images you have created. I go out with my camera and snap scenes. There is always something going on out there to give inspiration, come to think of it I need to go out today as ideas are running a bit dry. A great piece.
Christine
July 21st, 2010 at 2:24 am
I ignore it and get on with all the things I neglect in my life when writing. Then, guess what happens, right when I’m in the middle of something really important that has to be done, the urge to write returns
July 21st, 2010 at 2:25 am
I call miss brown and i tell her we need more “stock”
July 21st, 2010 at 3:27 am
Great one! Sleep is always an answer to my writer’s block, along with coffee, though not the whole pot! Pulled an all-nighter for the second time this year on something yesterday, which still seems to be stuck in the pending status this morning…
July 21st, 2010 at 4:12 am
You have said it all!
July 21st, 2010 at 4:59 am
very true, this problem hasn’t come to me yet, as i have just begun writing!
July 21st, 2010 at 6:47 am
I just sooth my mind and write.
July 21st, 2010 at 6:55 am
Keeping myself free from all the chores gives me peace of mind to write
July 21st, 2010 at 7:06 am
Most times I just go on with life as usual. I will see something or someone will say something that sticks in my mind and I will jot that down to expand on later.
July 21st, 2010 at 7:17 am
Well, I was going to comment, but now I’m experiencing commentator block…I’ll have to come back later.
July 21st, 2010 at 7:18 am
I only write when I am already inspired! Otherwise, I already have the topic and I know what I have to produce so I never really have an issue. Nice piece though..!
July 21st, 2010 at 7:18 am
Excellent article. Well written
July 21st, 2010 at 8:44 am
That’s a creative writing. I love it. Continue my friend.
Flowerrose
July 21st, 2010 at 8:46 am
I get myself some hot cocoa and read a book.
July 21st, 2010 at 10:08 am
very enjoyable read. I do get some sleep whenever this writers block gets on my way. 2 hours of short nap do me good.
July 21st, 2010 at 10:15 am
Belive this or not, talking to myself out loud usually does the trick! This was a really amusing and informative read for me. Thanks.
July 21st, 2010 at 10:33 am
I go for a long run, and try and exhaust myself to the point that I collapse. Take a long nap, and ‘Hey Presto!’ the creativity is back!
Nice work!
July 21st, 2010 at 11:05 am
Tolstoy, your articles are always very speculative. Where do you get this information? What writers are you talking to? By throwing a few actual names of writers into your article, you could make it much more persuasive. Instead, it feels like you’re just making up crazy behaviour and saying people do those things when they can’t write. It makes me sad that you get into the most popular articles so often.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Interesting things they do..I don’t usually force myself to write…when I have an idea I convert it into text..
July 21st, 2010 at 12:07 pm
It rarely comes naturally to me. Even when I have an idea I struggle because it takes off in many directions. But getting the ideas themselves is hard.
My wife is a natural, and while I desire to be so, i do need lots of input before I can get any output. I like to go for drives and have many real life experiences.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:27 pm
I took nearly 3 months off to clear the clutter from my head before I wrote anything yesterday.I took the time to read and reform some new writing material.While writing comes natural to me,a break was needed and taken.Then used sheet after sheet of paper until I get what I want to write correct. An interesting read on how extreme a writer can get to break a writers block.
July 21st, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Very hilariously absorbing, interesting and, yes, inspiring. I’m not alone experiencing the block.
July 21st, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Those are some extreme measures in order to end writers block.
July 21st, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Genius means crazy, is it not?
July 21st, 2010 at 5:59 pm
Yes Leo,
We writers are a strange lot indeed. I, like blueunicorn, talk to myself to get inspired. I have a tape recorder that’s voice actuated, so I can go back later and use what I want. My wife thinks I’m nuts when I do this. But as long as it keeps me creative, that’s all that counts. Great article, Leo! Keep up the good work!!!
Randy
July 21st, 2010 at 7:23 pm
I stretch out in my swing and take a nap. I wake up refreshed and ready to go.
July 21st, 2010 at 8:19 pm
I go running, im not quite sure how to explain it but i feel relaxed, happier and i find it easier to think when i run.
July 22nd, 2010 at 12:05 am
What an excellent topic! When I have writers block, I just back away fron the computer and do something else, like call a friend or walk the dog. Something, anything other then sitting at the computer staring at the keyboard.
July 22nd, 2010 at 4:44 am
I would take a nap and sometimes watch TV when that block strikes. Good topic.
July 22nd, 2010 at 8:23 am
Writers block really is an ugly thing. But, taking a shower usually works with me. I will always get at least 2-3 article ideas and get one article finished in my head before I finish washing myself.
July 22nd, 2010 at 2:25 pm
the best way is to tell yourself you are taking a break, i managed to convince my subconscious that it isnt a block after all;)
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July 22nd, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Thank you for sharing. For me there’s no such thing as “writer’s block”, there is only laziness
Any kind of block is a form of laziness (I wrote about it in my article One Million Things You Don’t Need In Your Life and How to Easily Remove Them). I keep writing. Never stop. This is my way to fight blocks, laziness and other things I don’t want to have in my life. The formula “Keep working” is always helping me. 
July 22nd, 2010 at 10:46 pm
This is very true. I also have to fight off writer’s block often.
July 22nd, 2010 at 10:55 pm
i read or do anything to make words flow through my mind again. i do things that would inspire me. sometimes i exercise Lol.
July 23rd, 2010 at 4:28 am
Strangely, I picture of Saint Patrick keeps me going. I look up from my computer and he happens to be the first thing my eyes land on. I didn’t put his picture there strategically, but it does help keeping my writing going anyway.
July 23rd, 2010 at 4:28 am
You are so right. I used to wake my muse up by reading books, going for a bike ride with my hubby and speaking to my professor. Doing so somewhere somehow I get a spark. Thanks, Leo, for sharing this.
Love
Kiddy
July 23rd, 2010 at 6:52 am
I free write about what it is I am writing about. I sit and write whatever pops into my head. It frees up the blockage.
July 23rd, 2010 at 6:56 am
When I have writers block, I take my main character or the whole of the story and will free write for about an hour. I will write whatever pops into my head no matter how silly it may seem. It works every time.
July 23rd, 2010 at 11:57 am
I go for a walk, Or wait to dream something. Lots of times things just come to me while I am walking and other things come to me when I am dreaming.
July 23rd, 2010 at 5:09 pm
I go to theme parks or wherever I fancy to end my writer’s block – they are inspirational! I also dream too.
July 24th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Mostly I turn to my journals. I usually just write about the most mundane things going on in hopes of accidently stumbling into something. Sadly I am going through it right now sue to some personal issues which of course I am writing about
Great piece.