So you’ve finally done it. You’ve started a new blog. Or you’ve known for a while how beneficial keeping a blog is and are now attempting to write your weekly post. You pull up the document, hold your fingers over the keys, research on your topic next to you and— nothing happens. No sudden burst of inspiration. You know what you want to say but your fingers just can’t do the walking. This phenomenon is known as writer’s block, and every writer struggles with it at some point in their lives. You pull up the blank page and stare and stare and stare until eventually you go snow blind; and still nothing comes of it. Every writer fears that this is it, the end of the line. No more creative streaks, no more amazing blog posts. However, let me assure you now that this is not the case. Writer’s block occurs in even the best writers, but it doesn’t last forever.
What’s going on? Why are you stuck? Sometimes, you just need inspiration to get you going, a nudge in the right direction. Perhaps you’re in a rut and you want to say something different, but you’re not sure how to go about it. You know that a blog isn’t just about the how-to’s and the lists, it’s about saying something that no one else is saying or broaching a subject that people are just too shy to broach. According to www.copyblogger.com/get-ideas/ it’s time to ask yourself 3 very important questions.
- What does nearly everyone disagree with you about?
- What question is no one in your industry willing to answer?
- What do you believe will happen in the future that other people consider impossible or unlikely?
But what if this is still not enough? What if you’ve answered these questions and you’re still stuck? Below are six solutions to kick-start your creativity and hopefully help to eliminate your writer’s block.
Sometimes our best ideas come from the world and the people around us and their inspirational ideas. Pick out a book or a product to review that will benefit your readers. If it means something to you, it will mean something to them.
The best thing you can do as a writer is stay ahead of the game. Many ideas come to us in the oddest of places or at the most inopportune times. You never know when inspiration is going to strike; always be prepared by carrying a small journal everywhere with you so that when you do experience a rush of ideas, you have a place to put them.
Most writers can’t just sit down and write. Ideas certainly don’t come out of midair (despite the misconception). All ideas come from somewhere, and sometimes, reading a magazine, newspaper or even other blog posts can help to fuel the flames of creativity.
By ‘take a break’ I don’t mean walk away and leave your blog alone for days or even weeks on end. As a writer, I know how hard it is to walk away for so long and then come back to the piece with any kind of motivation. Instead, step away from the computer and take a walk or find something else to do. Cleaning seems to always work for me. Performing meditation exercises or yoga can also clear out all the random and useless thoughts to make way for more creative ones.
You have a certain point of view, and certain biases can come with that point of view making it difficult to get over that large barricade in your way. This is the time to take a step back and consider the other side. Try to look at the topic with a viewpoint completely the opposite of your own.
The last and most fail-proof solution to overcoming writer’s block is, believe it or not– drumroll for number six . . .
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- Write, write, write.
The one thing I learned when attempting to write essays in school was that once I started writing, I could continue until I eventually found my flow. It might not have been Shakespeare or Atwood quality, but it was the first draft. Try to remember that you’re first draft isn’t going to be top notch quality; it isn’t supposed to be. That’s what the editing and revising process is for. You can’t wait until you feel inspired, and procrastinating can actually cause writer’s block because the more you wait and the longer you leave the piece, the less motivation you will have to finish it. So just sit down, put your fingers on the keys, and go to town. The first step is creating, the next step is editing, and the final step is perfecting.
Do you have any tips to add to this list? Any stories to tell about your battle with writer’s block. Please let us know in the comment section. We’d love to hear from you.
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