How to Keep Writing During Writer's Block

People believe writer’s block is when you just can’t write, but it really isn’t. Writer’s block isn’t having no ideas or not knowing what to write, it’s the fear of writing badly, the fear of being imperfect.

I’ve been writing since I was 10 years old, and of course, as a child my work was never really perfect, or good even. But from all the hours of my life I’ve spent writing, I think I’d be the one to approach when you’re feeling stuck.

Assignments

Don’t you absolutely hate it when you’ve been given an essay to write and absolutely abhor the topic? Well, what I like to do is write the worst version. It doesn’t have to be good; it just has to be.

Just write. Get all the words on the page. It doesn’t even have to be a first draft.

Word-vomit like your life depends on it. Bad writing is better than no writing. This applies to everything. Whether you need to submit an assignment, or if you’re writing for fun.

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I write a lot of poetry and often, I have nothing to write about, or I just don’t like the things I end up writing. So, what I like to do is just write about the emptiness, random thoughts that float up to my mind, or even things I've done in the day. My point is, whatever you write, it doesn’t have to be perfect, make sense, or be made public.

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Change the Form

This is one of my favourite things to do. The key is:

1. If you’re struggling to write an essay, write it like a rant.
2. If it's a story, just write the dialogues.
3. If it’s a poem, write it like a letter.

Sometimes the format of a style of writing constricts our word flow more than we realise. Writing can be easier if you look at it from a different perspective.

Start in the Middle

Introductions are hard to write.

If you’re writing a story, maybe write the most emotional scene. Informative essay? Go straight to the info-dumping.

It’s easier to write the middle or the end. Introductions have much too many requirements: they have to be interesting and hold the reader's attention, so they keep reading.

One Ugly Sentence

Promise yourself to write just one sentence. That usually turns to 5, and slowly, to a paragraph, and before you know it, you’re almost done. The momentum beats your lack of motivation or your fear of imperfection.

I use this more times than I can count. Sometimes I’m too lazy to write (especially if it’s an assignment) and I have to force myself to get up and lock in. Gaslighting myself into thinking I’m only writing a sentence usually works.

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Lower the Stakes

Not everything you write has to be the best, deep and emotional, publishable, or impressive. A draft isn’t the final product, and your process doesn’t determine its worth. It just has to exist. We’re humans, and we can’t put the most mind-blowing words in order all the time.

Change your Environment

Different music, different rooms, different hours of the day. Our minds get comfortable when we stay in the same place too long, so it doesn’t create anything worthwhile, it comes to a standstill, so, ALWAYS keep moving. Tiny changes work too, as frequently as possible.

I do this all the time. I usually sit on a study table but that gets boring quickly, so I move to my bed, or dining table, or even my sofa. I find it really helpful to have a change of scenario since it often brings inspiration from the weirdest things you wouldn’t notice if you were sitting in that same place you always do.

I know a lot of people prefer writing in silence, but for the ones who don’t, I’d love to know if you listen to instrumental music or lyrical music. I have a new favourite song almost every week, so I mostly play what I’m obsessed with at the moment.

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Be Kind to Yourself

Writer’s block often comes from pressure, mental exhaustion, and emotional overload. It’s not a flaw to experience writer’s block, and it definitely doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer, or an imposter. Sometimes the block in your brain is asking for gentleness, not discipline.