If you’re reading this article, it means at least some of these tips actually work.
Writer’s block sucks, exponentially more so when you’re interested in writing an article for a blog or are stuck with writing deadlines.
Finding myself plagued with this wretched state of mind as the deadline for this article approached – in hindsight, I shouldn’t have procrastinated so much – , I decided I’d research, test out and if all went according to plan, write about some ways to get those creative juices flowing again.
Okay, here we go:
1. Change the font you’re writing in (assuming you are doing this on a laptop, like I am).
I was very skeptical when I read this one on Tumblr, but it actually works! Changing your writing font from a structured Times New Roman to something more fun like Purisa – or if you’re feeling particularly rebellious, Comic Sans – somehow takes the stress off. Old-timey fonts are fun too, especially if you’re planning to write fantasy/historical content.
For my non digital writing friends, maybe shake things up with colored pens, different paper or even try typing. Basically changing your writing environment can often get you out of the sticky uninspiring mess you’re in.
2. It’s alright if your first draft sucks, in fact, it’s ideal.
I found this to be a very counter-intuitive but effective solution. Write the worst first draft possible: go all out until Shakespeare turns in his grave. As long as you finish it, it’s fine. Having absolutely no expectations from your first draft makes it much less intimidating, and you’ll be more likely to complete it. In my experience, editing and adding to a piece that is already pretty much done is much easier than writing a perfect article in the first draft, so give your perfectionist self a break.
3. Write something “different”
Have an article due? Write a poem. Have a story you’ve been procrastinating? Write an essay. It doesn’t even have to be on the same topic; it just needs to give you a place to start.
For example, while writing this article I found myself deeply inspired to write free verse poetry about the unused whiteboard in my classroom, here’s an excerpt:
“… So how should one cope, when they are scorned as such,
By those who prefer wiping away piles of chalk dust?
As hopes fall, my stand holds me up,
Head high as I’m humiliated time after time,
As they pick up those tiny sticks,
And proceed to scribble messily,
Over hazy duster strokes, and then swept away.
As my markers sit untouched, never to decorate my face,
Never to produce any sort of allergenic waste,
As I watch the days go by.
……”
Admittedly not my best work, but the fact that I actually finished writing something (however unecessarily melodramatic it was) was quite motivating.
4. Find new inspiration.
I’ve always looked to other written work, music or experiences for inspiration, and instead of sitting around waiting for one of these sources to deliver, I decided to look for something new.
Classical art, sculpture and even modern art – which on most days often looks like something a three year old did to the countertop at craft time – were my saviors.
Instagram, deviant art and other websites offer hundreds of works you can view, tagged to make it easy to find what you need. It might take some scrolling, but you might end up finding something that really works for you. Keeping the image open on my phone and looking at it as I wrote kept me focused, and gave me a sense of purpose.
5. And finally, if all else fails, stick to something tried and tested.
Is it cliché to write an article about writer’s block to combat writer’s block? Maybe, but I believe that even a cliché topic can be made engaging if you manage to put an interesting spin on it in some way ( like including a weirdly emotional poem about a lonely whiteboard).
This works especially well if you find yourself bouncing around the ideation phase, making absolutely no headway. So if you have the freedom of choice, write that cheesy love poem, except maybe instead of Romeo and Juliet, try Raja and Jayashri, turn the ballroom into a public bus, Rosaline into Rukmini, Raja’s jealous ex-girlfriend and BAM you now have an amusing – albeit filmy – place to start.
I think past this point anything I write will be considered rambling, so I’ll quit while I’m ahead. If you’ve made it this far, congratulations, and I hope I’ve inspired you to get creative, even if it’s only because this article was so boring you’re craving absolutely anything else.
Happy Writing!
– Aditi Rao