6 Methods of Subverting Writer’s Block You Might Not Know
— NOT Just Another Writer’s Block Article
“Oh, God! Not another article about how to conquer writer’s block. Surely, we’ve covered all the angles now.”
I heard that as soon as you saw the title. There are dozens of articles all saying the same things, and I have never found them very helpful. So, I created a set of writer’s block hacks that work for me and might also work for you.
There’s only so much “writing through it” advice you can take without wanting to give up the whole writing gig and be a checkout assistant. As dealing with people all day and every day is enough to make me want to rock in a corner, I figured that getting through my creative quagmire was the better option.
Not all of my hacks will work for you; some may not be appropriate. That’s your call. However, I do urge you to give some of them a try. So below is a run-down of the tools I use to regain my writing mojo.
Dance Your Way Through the Phase
Find a beat, and move. If you don’t have space or ability, jig in your chair. Otherwise, get up and have a great little dance party between three and six minutes.
Dancing awakens something in all of us, even if you’d never do it in public. In itself, dancing is a creative art, but when your creative flow isn’t flowing to your fingertips, try expressing it elsewhere instead. A tune that makes you want to move is the best way to take your mind off the task at hand.
Don’t try to think about writing while you’re moving because that means you’re spreading your creativity too thin. Instead, focus on how the music makes you feel, the part of you that the music touches, and how your body wants to move. Even if all you do is boogie in your seat, forget about writing for three minutes, and feel. If you must, turn off your monitor and ignore your screen.
Eat and feed the Savage Beast
Feed your brain and the writing monster, that little critter that acts cranky when deprived. Don’t let feeding yourself become another hurdle. We’ve all done it.
“Just let me get this done, and I’ll take a break for lunch.”
“I need to get at least half this article done before I can justify raiding the kitchen.”
Deadlines are all well and good, but when you’re trying to scale the heights of writer’s block, you need sustenance for the climb.
I won’t proselytise about the benefits of brain foods, omega-3s and fatty acids, but there are some starch-heavy carbs you might want to avoid so you don’t get the post-food slump.
But whatever you fancy, feed the nasty little creature nipping at your heels and dragging you back down. If you really want to push yourself forward, make your repast something utterly delectable and feed a craving.
Drink (just as much as you need)
This method is entirely optional and one that I use sparingly. Otherwise, I’d turn into a lush. It’s no good if you have dependency issues or work in an office. However, having a ‘wee tipple’ can help get the juices flowing.
I would not suggest that you follow the old Hemingway adage of “writing drunk and editing sober”. More than anything, the editing is just too much hard work. But greasing the wheels doesn’t hurt.
One of the well-known elements of drinking alcohol is the reduction of inhibitions. Sometimes, we get so caught up in how we want a final draft to appear and sound that we get stuck on the minutiae we should tackle in the editing process.
Even if you don’t drink alcohol, coffee or tea (the real stuff, not the fruit infusion pretenders) can work, too.
Don’t make having a drink contingent on achieving the summit of Mount Scribbler. Creative juices need “juice” to flow. If you deprive yourself of that thirst-quenching and inspirational cordial, your creative plateau becomes a dry and empty desert.
Get Talking
Talk to anyone you can reach: friends, family, colleagues, family pets, and even yourself. Talking to yourself is good; you have to provide both sides of the conversation.
Start a conversation or a debate about something that has been bugging you recently. Use hypothetical situations, and try to argue the opposite side of the argument from which you would usually debate.
Get animated and involved. You may even find your conversation edging into the territory of the piece you’re trying to write. If you do, can you use some of the conversation focus for your article or even replicate some of your dialogue in your character interactions?
By nature, many of us writers are solitary folks, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need some social stimulation occasionally. When we spend too much time working in our own heads, we can almost forget that we are writing for others, not just ourselves.
I have mixed feelings about whether chatting via text is as good as talking over the phone (or voice chat) or in person. On the one hand, if you’re chatting over text, then at least your fingers are nice and supple for when you get your mojo on. On the other hand, chatting over text can be highly stilted, and you don’t get a flow of consciousness; there’s far too much ability to edit your words that you don’t get in a direct conversation.
Draw Something
I don’t care if you struggle to draw a line/ Draw something, anything, and do it with purpose. None of that doodling because you’re procrastinating through writer’s block. If you can, try to draw the topic of the piece you’re stuck on; it might give you a different perspective to approach your writing.
I don’t care if you use a pencil, pen, wax crayon, or finger paint. The point is to draw a picture. No one has to see it.
The result might be something you can use to illustrate your article — anything is possible. Another reason to try drawing something is stress relief; art therapy isn’t just for small children and non-verbal people. Anyone who’s ever had writer’s block knows how stressful it can be, either staring at a blank screen or page or writing and deleting the same paragraph multiple times.
Even if you can’t draw what you want, you can look at your picture and say, with all honesty, “I can paint a better picture with words.”
Then do it!
Sing! Belt it out!
If you’re ever in a situation where your work is struggling with voice or authenticity, I cannot recommend singing highly enough.
As writers, we often find ourselves having to write for other people and taking on the persona they want us to inhabit. Sometimes, it can be challenging to shake off those personas and return to ourselves.
I don’t care if you can’t hold a tune in a bucket. I’m not asking you to audition for “Wherever’s Got Talent”. I want you to find that voice inside. The one that whispers when it’s unsure of its reception. The one that cracks when asked to be its true self.
Well, crank up the music (especially if you really can’t hold a tune) so no one has to hear you (if you don’t want them to). Sing!
I have two favourites that are good for finding my way back to my own voice.
Let It Go! — Yep, shoot me for my Disney Princess-ness. I don’t care. I want to be Elsa in “my kingdom of isolation”.
This is Me! — Once again, I’m with the musicals. But rather on-point for finding your own voice again.
Die a “Little Death”
No, I’m not suggesting self-harm or anything similar. I’m talking about “le petit mort”, the final release, or if you don’t like euphemisms, an orgasm. Have one. Okay, please don’t do it at your desk; if you’re noisy, don’t do it in the office bathroom stalls. People frown upon that kind of behaviour at work.
There is nothing better for releasing blocked creativity channels than getting rid of frustration. Think about it: the build-up, the anticipation, the summit and the downhill rush when you crest the wave. Don’t tell me you don’t feel like the blood runs freer through your veins after a bloody good orgasm because I won’t believe you.
Increased blood flow to the brain, a bit of extra deep breathing to hyperoxygenate the brain, and away you go!
If you don’t believe me, try it!
P.S. Alone or with a partner or two, it still works. However, partners might expect cuddles afterwards. So, if you want to get some writing done, make it a solo effort.
If You’re Still Struggling
These are my hacks for beating writer’s block. For more long-term blockage of the creative flow, I have a couple of extras that need an honourable mention. If you’ve ever heard of target fixation, it can happen to writers, too. You focus so hard on your target that you don’t see the other problems coming out to hit you before you get there. It’s a good idea to take a step back and refocus on the bigger picture.
Doing something repetitive and routine with my hands helps me to “not focus too hard” on what I’m trying to write. That could be stitching, crocheting, or knitting. These are my go-to activities that require little conscious thought. However, while working with my hands, my subconscious is working away in the background and doing a far better job than my conscious fixation.
You might have different things you’d prefer to do with your hands, maybe woodwork (whittling), baking bread (kneading is excellent when you’re really frustrated) or any other unconscious and repetitive tasks.
I’ll not bore you with all the other usual suspects, like going for a walk, exercising or meditating. Sometimes, they work, but this article is about finding alternative options. Give some of mine a try, and let me know if you have any luck with them.
