You know when your hopes, dreams, and potentially even your livelihood depends on you being able to crank out a few pages of writing each day? And you know those days when you just can’t seem to think of anything to write because you have the dreaded writer’s block? Yea, it SUCKS.
So today I’m going to be talking about my top tips to help crush writer’s block.
But before we get into all the things you SHOULD do to crush your writer’s block, here’s one big important thing you SHOULDN’T do…
One thing you shouldn’t do…
Don’t mindlessly scroll through Instagram or TikTok. Social media will do nothing to help your creativity and will most likely actually hurt it. No one has ever come out of a deep scrolling hole thinking “yup, I’m glad I spent that past hour of my life doom scrolling!”
So let’s lock those phones up and put them away (for now) ☺️
Without further ado….here are my top tips to crush writer’s block!
Prepare for it 📝
As tried and true as time, any writer can always expect the dreaded writer’s block to roll its way back to them eventually. But we can get ahead of it by expecting it and learning to prepare for it.
Create a list of ideas that you can revert back to whenever you need a bit on inspiration. Start a document on your phone and computer where you can easily jot down ideas that come to you throughout the day so you have something to look back at on a rainy day.
I love doing this for my blog. I have a running list of ideas that I can go back to whenever I’m content planning or just need an extra bit of inspiration.
Hit the gym. Get out those yoga mats. Go workout! 🏋🏽♀️
Working out releases endorphins in your brain that make you feel good and positive. So if you find yourself feeling uninspired or unmotivated, try exercising to get yourself feeling pumped and energized again.
Working out will help your body feel better and your brain much clearer so you can crank out the work you need to do. Even just a 10-15 minute walk around your neighborhood could do wonders for your brain.
Turn to someone whose work inspires and motivates you 🎧
When you’re having a hard time finding inspiration within yourself, try turning to others. Listen to a podcast, read a book, or watch Youtube videos from people that make you feel inspired and uplifted.
Look to the creators or writers that have already achieved the things you are aiming for and learn from their journeys. I often find myself getting excited and ready to keep moving on my goals whenever I do this!
(I love reading and watching Ali Abdaal’s content whenever I need a pick-me-up. Ali is a master productivity guru, Youtuber, and doctor who is generally always filled with uplifting advice that makes me feel inspired and motivated.)
Create a mind map 💡
Creating a mind map is one of my favorite ways to brainstorm and come up with new ideas to get me out of my writer’s block. To create a mind map, simply grab a pen and paper. One way to do it by starting with putting the main idea or topic you’d like to focus on in the middle of the page, then adding branches to connect whatever comes to mind on that particular topic.
But honestly, mind maps can be whatever you want them to me. If you’re the kind of person that likes to just brain dump everything onto a page, go for it! Or if your jam is to create a ton of different lists for your thoughts, that works too. The key here is to get things out of your head and onto paper to get those brain juices ~flowing~.
Do those dreaded chores you’ve been putting off (yes, really!) 🧼
Okay, let’s level set here. If you’re just listlessly staring at a computer hoping to find some long forsaken motivation to keep going, you really might as well be doing something else with your time.
Take a break from the computer and do something around your house instead. Pick something that requires you to move, use your hands, and calm your brain. Cooking is a really great option since it forces you to be present in what you’re doing, but anything else like putting away laundry, or even just taking a shower works fine too.
The important part here is to step away from listlessly staring at your computer and do something else with your time.
Most importantly, don’t force it
Here’s a secret: whatever you’re writing most likely won’t turn out that great if you’re kicking, dragging, and forcing yourself to do it. Our best work comes from when we’re inspired, in the zone, and in our ~flow~.
Oftentimes, we get writer’s block simply because we are mentally drained. So the best thing sometimes is to simply allow yourself to rest. Take a break. Get some air, play a game, take a bath, go on a walk, do whatever feels fun for you. And let the words flow out of you when you’re ready to get back into the zone.
That wraps up my top tips for crushing writer’s block! Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried these or if you have other tried and true hacks for crushing writer’s block! 🙂
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