writer's block essay reddit

Kindlepreneur

Book Marketing for Self-Publishing Authors

Home / Book Writing / How to Get Over Writer’s Block: 25 Proven Methods

How to Get Over Writer’s Block: 25 Proven Methods

Writer's block. For some, it's as foreign as a disorder made up by a marketing company to sell mouthwash. But for others, it's a very real affliction that can affect their livelihood by preventing creativity from taking hold.

Luckily, writer's block isn't contagious and doesn't require medication to treat. Often, all it takes to get back to writing is a willingness to try something new. To that end, here are 25 tips you can use to get over writer's block.

• 25 ways to get over writer's block that actually work
• Additional questions about writer's block answered
• What you can do to overcome writer's block

Table of contents

• 1. Create a Daily Writing Habit
• 2. Imitate the Pros
• 3. Try a Writing Prompt
• 4. Use Gamification
• 5. Change Stories
• 6. Jump Ahead
• 7. Kill Your Characters
• 8. Change Your Belief
• 9. Take a Walk
• 10. Try Dictation
• 11. Use an App
• 12. Don't Wait for Inspiration
• 13. Read for a Bit
• 14. Copy Down a Favorite Work
• 15. Forget About Your Audience
• 16. Get to Know Your Characters
• 18. Do Some Push-Ups
• 19. Inhale Some Caffeine
• 20. Talk it Over
• 21. Take it Elsewhere
• 22. Address What's Bothering You
• 23. Try Auditory Cues
• 24. Power Through
• 25. Use a Brainstorming Tool
• What Causes Writer's Block?
• What Are the Symptoms of Writer's Block?
• How Long Does Writer's Block Last?
• How Do You Cure Writer's Block?
• How Do You Get Over Writer's Block Once and For All?

The best cure for writer's block isn't a cure at all — it's prevention. And the best prevention is a daily writing habit . By writing daily, whether you feel like it or not, you can turn writing into a habit instead of something you do when the muse strikes.

To be clear, you don't have to write every single day without fail, but a consistent habit is key to avoiding writer's block.

Many professional writers don't believe in writer's block. They can't afford to. After all, if you don't write, you can't call yourself a professional writer. And for those living off their words, not writing means not getting paid.

Since writer's block is, for many, a mental block, it helps to think of yourself as a professional. Visualize yourself having the kind of success you dream about when you're drifting off to sleep at night. What would that writer do? Would that super successful version of you get stuck? Or would that you power through and just get some words down on the page, even if they're the worst words ever?

See yourself as a pro to help release the mental block.

If you're stuck on a scene in your novel, a section of your college essay, or a sentence in a work email, breaking through the block often takes a change of pace. That's where writing prompts come in handy.

Selecting a prompt and writing a story that no one else will see can help you get back on track. You don't even need to finish the story — the point here is to get some words flowing to break the standstill. A good place to find creative writing prompts is Reddit .

If you’re experiencing writer’s block while working on fiction, you can try a character development exercise instead of or in addition to a writing prompt. 

Sometimes the creative process just needs a little push to get you back on track. Luckily, there are some gamification tools you can use to get that push. These tools use different tactics to turn writing into a game, so you can get over your fear of the blank page. Check out the following to give gamification a try:

• Written? Kitten!
• Write or Die

Sometimes all you need to overcome writer's block is a change of creative pace. If you find that you're stuck on one story, try writing on another one. This can be a new idea or an old one. By focusing on another idea, you may find that your block was a result of being stuck on a specific plot. 

Writing on another story for a few hundred words can free your subconscious mind to work on the other story in the background.

If you find that you can’t decide what happens next in your story, try jumping ahead in the plot. Chances are you have at least a vague idea of what will happen at the end of your story. Jump ahead and write the ending, then you can go back and fill in the blanks. Even if you don't end up using that specific ending, it can still help you get over your writer's block.

Sometimes overcoming writer's block is as easy as killing one of your beloved characters. Don't worry, your character doesn't have to stay dead (unless it works for your story). Really, this is just an exercise to get the creative juices flowing again.

Writing a scene or a chapter in which a main character dies can get your mind rolling and the words flowing again. It often brings up some strong emotions that get you back into the writing flow again.

This tip is easier said than done, but it bears considering. If you refuse to believe in writer's block, you won't suffer from it any longer. Like any other belief, this is all about faith — faith that you'll always be able to write something. Even if that something isn't very good, anything is better than a blank page.

A 2014 Stanford study found that walking actually improves creativity. The researchers found that subjects saw an average 60% increase in creativity when walking as compared to sitting. So the next time you get writer's block, take a walk to clear your head, gain some perspective, and get your creativity back on track.

Sometimes getting out of a creative funk is as easy as changing the mechanics of your writing. One great way to do this is by trying dictation. By talking your story out instead of writing it out, you may be able to clear your creative block and get back on track. You can use a tool or an app to record what you say, but sometimes just talking to yourself is enough to break through writer's block.

There are several writing apps that provide different ways of getting over writer's block. While these aren't magic bullets, they can certainly help. By keeping moments of inspiration organized on an app like Evernote , you can refer back to those notes to dust off your imagination.

Mind mapping apps like Miro can break you out of the ways of thinking that caused the block in the first place. Storyist is a great app that helps you map out your plot to keep you on track while writing.

Waiting for inspiration is basically like asking for writer's block. Between waiting until you feel inspired and dealing with everyday procrastination, you're not likely to get any writing done. This is why it's important to write on a schedule, even if you don't feel like it.

There's an excellent quote that sums this up:

“I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately, it strikes every morning at nine o'clock sharp.”

This quote, or some version of it, has been attributed to many writers, including William Faulkner and W. Somerset Maugham. It doesn't really matter who said it. It only matters what it means: Don't wait for inspiration to show up. Meet inspiration by keeping a writing schedule.

Formatting Has Never Been Easier

Write and format professional books with ease.  Never before has creating formatted books been easier.

If the words really won't flow, combat writer's block by reading for a little bit. Sometimes it helps to get some perspective by reading a chapter or two in a favorite book. This can lend you inspiration and help shift your creative gears.

For another tactic to help you break writer's block, turn to other great writers. Grab one of your favorite books — preferably one with prose that really speaks to you — and copy a few pages down. This is best done by hand instead of typing, as writing by hand tends to activate certain portions of the brain responsible for memory and learning .

This writing exercise can get your prose flowing while also giving you a glimpse of a professional author's writing skills.

One of the most common causes of writer's block is fear of pleasing others. It can be scary to put your writing out there, whether it's a short story, a novel, or a nonfiction book. Even the most famous writer you can think of has to deal with fear from time to time. But writing with a large audience in mind is not very conducive to creativity.

If you're going to be a successful writer, you need to learn to forget about your potential audience while you write. You can do as Stephen King does and write for one single person (preferably someone you know and whose opinion you value). Or you can simply write for yourself.

On occasion, writer's block stops a writing session short because you're having character trouble. You may be asking yourself what a character would do in a certain situation, or wondering why something doesn't feel right with your protagonist.

If so, it's a good time to get to know your characters a little better. This is easily done with a character profile . Writing a character profile will not only help you with character development, but it will also help make you a better writer!

Sometimes smashing writer's block requires some creative movement, but other times all it needs is some physical movement. So if you're feeling a little sluggish and you just can't get the words down, try doing a few push-ups, jumping jacks, squats, or any other physical activity that can get your heart pumping. This could be all you need to get the creative juices flowing again.

A lot of authors out there would find it hard to operate without caffeine. And while I don't think you should literally inhale caffeine, getting up to get a cup of tea or coffee can help you break the monotony of the blank page.

Not only can caffeine in the bloodstream help you wake up and get thinking again, but the act of getting up from the computer can also help you clear your head and gain some perspective.

Clearing writer's block is often as easy as talking your problem over with someone else. We all know what it feels like to discuss a problem with someone and find a solution without them actually saying anything. Sometimes we just need to talk it out.

Every good writer will need help like this at some point, so there's no shame in discussing your problem with another person. It may help if the other person is a writer, but this isn't always the case. Simply mulling over the story out loud can help.

Some instances of writer's block don't actually have anything to do with the writing task at all. Instead, they're an issue with your surroundings. Maybe you've been cooped up in your room writing for too long and you just need a change of scenery. If it's nice outside, take your laptop out there. Or consider going to the local coffee shop for an hour or two. 

Sometimes taking your writing project elsewhere is all you need to get back into the creative flow.

It can be hard to focus on the writing process if you have other issues occupying your mind. Things like overdue bills, house cleaning you've been putting off, or stress from personal relationships can all interrupt the writing process.

If it's possible to address whatever's bothering you, get it taken care of. This is not to say that you should continue skipping your writing time in order to unload the dishwasher every day. That's a slippery slope. But, on occasion, you may want to take the time to address what's bothering you so you can get back to getting your day's word count done.

You may want to try changing things up to keep your writing routine fresh. More specifically, try audio cues. You could try a new kind of music while you write — there are plenty of kinds to choose from. You may also want to try ASMR or apps like BrainFM to help you focus. Any of these are worth a try to help you get your word count done if you're struggling.

Using brute force is another tactic that many writers use to clear their creative blocks. They simply write anything at all, keeping the words coming so they aren't sitting staring at a blank page. Some call this free writing, and it's a legitimate tactic for getting back on track. 

You can always come back and edit what you wrote or delete it all if it doesn't work for you. The important thing is that you keep writing when it matters most.

There are many different types of brainstorming tools you can use when you get stuck. There are decks of cards available for this very purpose. Narata Storytelling Cards are a great option for reinvigorating your story idea. They have cards for character, creature, goal, activity, society, event, situation, and location, to name a few. Simply draw a card and see where it takes you.

The Writer Emergency Pack is another good option for fiction writing. It has 26 illustrated cards, each designed to help you break through creative blocks. The nice thing about both these packs is they're small and easy to take wherever you go.

Writer's Block FAQs

Writer's block has several possible causes. The block may be due to a problem with the writer's work itself, such as plot or character problems. Other causes include an overly harsh inner critic, relationship problems, fear of failure, procrastination, and other personal issues or distractions.

Anxiety and a sense of creative paralysis are the most common symptoms of writer's block. The inability to write can also cause stress, worry, depression, and lethargy. Some writers don't experience other symptoms aside from the inability to write.

There's no set amount of time that writer's block lasts. It can last for five minutes, five months, or even five years. Luckily, it's within every writer's power to take action and break through writer's block using the tips and tactics listed above.

There's no one proven cure that works for every writer experiencing writer's block. Every writer is different, but there's one thing that professional writers say helps: taking action to get back to writing. Persistence is the best cure for writer's block. It comes in many forms, you just have to find the right one for you.

 Don't give up! Push through to cure your writer's block.

The best way to get over writer's block once and for all is to write on a schedule no matter what. Create a word count goal that you achieve on a schedule. This will help you create a habit. And once your writing habit is ingrained, writer's block will be a thing of the past.

Whether you're in the middle of a school writing assignment, a blog post, or a novel, writer's block can strike at any time. Luckily, there are many ways to overcome this affliction, most of which include developing a regular writing habit or changing your mindset to clear the creative blocks.

From writing exercises and apps that facilitate creativity to physical movement and changing stories, there's no shortage of ways to combat writer's block.

To sum things up, I'll leave you with a quote from Steven Pressfield's The War of Art , which is a book every creator should have on their shelf:

“The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.”

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

Related Posts

Top 8 best scrivener alternatives for writers (+ the only one that matters), scrivener vs. ulysses: which writing tool should you buy, scrivener coupons and discount codes (updated for 2024), sell more books on amazon, amazon kindle rankings e-book.

Learn how to rank your Kindle book #1 on Amazon with our collection of time-tested tips and tricks.

Join the community

Join 111,585 other authors who receive weekly emails from us to help them make more money selling books.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

Stuck on Your College Essay? 8 Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block

←How to Write a Last Minute Essay

11 Tips for Proofreading and Editing Your Essay→

We’ve all had that feeling. You know you have to write an essay, a research paper, or even a story, but you can’t seem to string two thoughts together. It’s frustrating, it’s disheartening, and you don’t know how long it’ll be before inspiration strikes again. 

This familiar feeling is commonly known as “writer’s block”. According to The New Yorker , it was once believed that writer’s block was caused by exhausting one’s supply of inspiration or a lack of external motivation. Now, thanks to the research of Jermone Singer and Michael Barrios, we know that there are four broad causes of writer’s block: 

• Excessively harsh self-criticism 
• Fear of being compared to other writers and their work
• A lake of external motivation such as praise or attention 
• A lack of internal motivation such as a desire to share a story with the world 

No matter which bucket your writer’s block falls under, you are certainly not alone, and you can definitely get your creative juices flowing again. Want to get over your writer’s block? Here are some proven techniques that will help re-inspire your writing. 

Tips For Overcoming Writer’s Block On Your College Essay 

1. freewrite .

A lot of people get stuck on the idea that what they write has to be perfect, and that pressure keeps them from writing down anything at all. If you find yourself feeling that weight on your shoulders, just take a step back for a minute. Give yourself some leeway to write whatever you want on the topic that you’re writing about, even if it’s grammatically incorrect or irrelevant. Just writing something down can often give the mind something to work with, and it can often lead to further inspiration.

Keep in mind that this freewriting can take whatever form you want it to. It can be full sentences, bullet points, even phrases randomly placed on a sheet of paper. Whatever gets your brain thinking in some capacity is a good step in overcoming writer’s block. 

2. Respond to Brainstorm Questions 

What if your writer’s block is so bad that you can’t even come up with a topic or subject for your essay? If you need a place to start, try thinking about something that is not directly related to your college essays. The easiest things to brainstorm are things that you know, like yourself. Here are some easy brainstorm questions to get you thinking: 

• Who are my favorite characters on TV, Literature, and movies? Why are these my favorite characters? 
• What is something that I would join a multi-day protest march for? Is there actually anything that I am passionate about?
• Say I had to start a business selling something, and I would achieve the average level of success (financially, socially, etc) within that business, what would I choose to do?
• What nonprofit or cause would I volunteer for assuming I could not choose an activity that I’ve already done or an activity available in my school?

While these questions may not be immediately relevant to the college essay you’re trying to write, they are introspective questions. So the more you think about answers to these questions, the more you are reflecting on yourself and your goals. If you can start writing down your answers, then you’re already well on your way to writing a personal statement or explaining your interests and passions to colleges.

3. Talk It Out With A Friend 

College essays always ask you to reflect on yourself, and who knows you better than some of your closest friends? While they shouldn’t write your essay for you, they can be a good sounding board for ideas while giving you some ideas of their own. Try contacting someone you trust and asking them how they would answer the essay prompt if they were answering it for you. See what comes to their mind. They may bring up an interesting approach to an essay that you hadn’t even thought about, or remind you about an aspect of yourself that you hadn’t already considered. Their ideas could help spark your ideas. 

Keep in mind, this doesn’t have to be a friend. It could be a close relative, a neighbor, or even a teacher. You just need to talk to somebody who knows you well and can give you insight on how you should approach the essay, not how they would. 

4. Read a Memoir or Listen To a Podcast 

Inspiration tends to fuel inspiration, and what better way to get inspired to write a creative essay about yourself than to read/listen to others’ creative essays about themselves. Perhaps listening to people tell their stories will give you some ideas on how you can tell your story for your college essays. 

People share their stories in a variety of ways, both offline and online. You could read the personal memoir of someone who inspires you, or of someone whose story you relate to. If you want something that takes a little bit less time, you could listen to a podcast or watch a TED Talk of people telling their stories. Some other places to find inspiration are The New York Times’ Modern Love column or stories from The Moth . Most of the above are short and quick and could possibly spark inspiration for your own essay. 

5. Change Your Environment 

Maybe it’s not that you lack ideas or inspiration. Maybe you just can’t, for whatever reason, seem to get your ideas down on paper. That’s totally normal, and there’s a chance that your environment has something to do with it. If you’ve been brainstorming in your room for hours or if you’re not comfortable wherever you are, it’s going to be very difficult for you to be able to write creatively and vulnerably. 

Try going somewhere else to write, preferably somewhere with fresh air and sunshine. A simple change of scenery can be surprisingly helpful in getting your brain to work again and letting the creativity come through. As long as you’re peaceful and comfortable wherever you go, it’s a good place to be writing. 

6. Get Some Exercise 

It is commonly accepted that exercise releases endorphins and other helpful chemicals that stimulate your brain and keep you happy. In this way, exercise can be very beneficial in the writing process. If you’re feeling frustrated because of your writer’s block, exercise can lift your mood and give you a much-needed break. If you’re struggling to come up with ideas, the chemicals in your brain can help spark some creative inspiration for your essay. 

Of course, it might be a little bit difficult to go for a run or get exercise if you’re staying at home. Just remember that no form of exercise is better than another, and exercise doesn’t have to take up a lot of space. Do some jumping jacks in place, find an apartment-friendly workout video online, or just put on some music and dance in your room. The key is to get your body moving.

7. Use a Pen and Paper 

Most students type their essays on computers instead of writing them down, and this makes sense. Almost all college applications are submitted online now, and it’s easier to share your essays with others for editing. 

That being said, typing your essays may not be the best idea if you’re experiencing writer’s block. The blank screen in front of you may be a psychological deterrent to your creativity, and the internet may serve as a huge distraction. 

If you find yourself unable to come up with something to write on a computer, try going old school and writing your ideas with a pen and paper. If you don’t have any of that around, try jotting down some ideas on a dry erase board or chalkboard. Writing your ideas instead of typing them encourages you to jot down shorter ideas and think in an entirely different way. This can be a beneficial switch for your brain as you attempt to overcome your writer’s block.

8. Work On A Different Section 

Who says that you have to write your essay from start to finish? If you are having trouble coming up with the beginning, write the end or start somewhere in the middle! If you have an idea of what you want to say and how you want the essay to flow, you can write it down in whatever order you want. Write down the parts that come easiest to you and circle back to the parts you haven’t quite figured out yet. This way, you’ll at least have something written down, and you can use that something to inspire you to write the other parts of your essay later. 

Again, your essay does not have to be perfect on the first draft. If the different parts of your essay don’t seem to fit together because you wrote them at different times, that’s okay. At least you’ll have all of the parts written down, and you can edit from there. 

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

• Brainstorming
• Scriptwriting

How to Cure Writer’s Block: 23 Proven Ideas that Actually Work

T he fact is that almost every writer faces writer’s block at some point in their career. Deadlines, storylines or even airlines can be the cause of this intellectual affliction. Writer’s block is real and can greatly affect your output.

But, every writer of note has willed themselves out of this mental stupor. Writer’s block doesn’t have to stop a budding Homer in their tracks.

There are many ways to overcome this form of procrastination that works wonders.

Today, let’s look at 23 ways that prove effective to help you get rid of writer’s block.

But first…

writer's block DEFINITION

What is writer's block.

Writer’s block is when a writer experiences creative slowdown or can't create new work; essentially an artistic full-stop. It’s the inability of an author to compose new, original material that moves a narrative forward. The term writer’s block is used in reference to any writing or composition process where creativity is stunted. The production of new work grinds to a halt. It’s often referred to as creative constipation. Frustration, fear, anger, dread, and other strong emotions sometimes accompany it.

What causes writer's block?

• Distractions
• Physical illness
• Bills piling up
• Procrastination
• Intimidation

1. How to cure writer's block

Read for inspiration .

One of the best ways to overcome writer’s block is to read. Whether your favorite author or someone new, reading is a reliable cure.

When you take in another writer’s words on the page — a writer who has in all likelihood overcome the block as well, at some point — it challenges and motivates you to get the words out.

The inspiration for many writers is their own writing heroes. Shakespeare to Faulkner, Byron to Plath, all have their own styles and voices that have nourished generations of creatives. Writer’s block gloms onto the idle, not the well-read.

You could open the best screenwriting books for writer’s block help. So pick up a Kindle or an actual bound book, and kickstart the motivation.

​ ​ “The journey of a thousand words begins with the first.”

Related Posts

• Free Seinfeld Script: "The Switch" →
• Download the La La Land Screenplay for Free →
• FREE Pulp Fiction Screenplay →

2. how to get rid of writer's block

Write away your writer's block.

Even if you copy words from another source, getting something down on your screen or pad is a useful tool to get rid of blockage.

What is writer’s block, after all, but a stoppage of writing?

So do the opposite: just write.

Try transcribing a poem or song lyrics and see what happens.

Whip up a to-do list, an outline for another project or story, a free-association paragraph or two. You’ll discover it goes a long way.

Just as the adage “fake it 'til you make it” fits the bill in business, it also works with writing. Get the writing muscles moving and your brain will catch up before you know it.

There is nothing bad about writing something that, on the surface, appears unusable. It’s practice. You’re training your mind and fingertips for what matters.

If Chris Brown gets stuck in writer's block, he'll just "write it out."

Chris Brown's cure for writer's block is to "just write it out!"

3. how to get rid of writer's block, use a writing prompt.

Writing prompts are an effective way to overcome writer’s block. Having another brain issue a challenge can get a lot of writers going, even you.  

Writer’s D ​ ​ igest and Reddit both offer a roundup of prompts to get you started. You may even consider single words, colors, or phrases as prompts and take it from there.  

Prompts from writer-specific sites can be more in-tune with the level at which professional writers work. But the whimsy of other random sites and ideas can also do much to alleviate writer’s block.

This is basically looking without, instead of looking within, for what to do when you have writer’s block. Taking the pressure off yourself can free your mind and get the ball (- point pen) rolling.

“The wonderful thing about writing is that there is always a blank page waiting. The terrifying thing about writing is that there is always a blank page waiting.”

― J.K. Rowling

4. How to get over writer's block

Develop a character.

Since you want to know how to get over your block, create a character who already has the answers.

The character you describe in writing doesn’t even need to have meaning, only features. A woman with red hair, green eyes, and a pout. A pimple-faced man in a trucker hat. Throw in a verb and a location and you have the beginning of a story.

“A woman with red hair, green eyes, and a pout stands in front of her bedroom mirror …”

“A pimple-faced man in a trucker hat sprints down the sidewalk …”

The character doesn’t necessarily have to know all the right answers.

You can even create a version of yourself. Some of the best characters came about this way. If the character turns into a cure, then you’ve created the right character.

You can even use a character development worksheet to get this process going even faster.

Free downloadable bonus

Download free character development sheet.

If you're going to develop a new character, it's critical to lay out the ins and outs for a fully-formed character.  Download our FREE, worksheet to get you started.

• TV Development: Creating Characters →
• How To Write The Best Character Arc with Examples →
• Free Character Development Worksheet →

5. how to cure writer's block

Try a different genre.

If you want to figure out how to get past writer’s block, we recommend switching up your writing genre. If you are a screenwriter, write a short story or essay. If you’re a novelist, write a poem.

It’s almost as like taking a vacation from your usual writing style and vocation to explore a new voice.  It is a new way to interpret the world. Also, you might consider writing your same format, but with a different style or approach.        

Expository writing can be tiresome. Try a few lines of descriptive text. Next, maybe a persuasive argument within your story.  

Writer’s block shuts the door. These style exercises open windows.

6. how to overcome writer's block

Put together a puzzle.

Working with other parts of the brain can be a big help.

Whether it’s a jigsaw puzzle, tangram, sudoku, or crossword, puzzling your brain stimulates dopamine and gives you a creativity boost.

Furthermore, the analytical nature of a puzzle bleeds into the writer’s craft. Putting yourself in a headspace to analyze or assess can lead to overcoming writer’s block.

RELATED POSTS

• Read More: How To Become a Writer →
• Read More: 30 Ways to brainstorm short film ideas →
• Download: A FREE Story Outline Template →

7. how to get rid of writer's block

Change your music.

Playing music can be a good method for how to get over writer’s block. If it’s not working, change the music.

Now, change it again. Deejay your way out of a corner.

Music has been a cure to spur creativity ever since authors put quill to paper. Music not only calms the savage beast, but it also inspires the blocked writer.

We’re partial to Bach for curing writer’s block but AC/DC may do for you

Youtube and Spotify playlists exist that focus on writer’s block help. Ultimately, only you can determine what music works best.

A lot of writers swear by Elgar or Handel when crafting period-specific tales, for example.

8. HOW TO GET over OF WRITER'S BLOCK

Practice another art form.

This trick is one of the most fun ways to get the creative juices flowing. Singing, painting, sculpting, or dancing will get your creative juices flowing. Bust out the watercolors. Take out crayons and doodle away.

Download the Pulp Fiction script and act out the scene between Vincent and Jules as they clean up the car.

Practicing another art also gives you a built-in writing prompt: “A writer dances in the living room, loud music shaking the floor …”

You get the idea.

“Writing about a writer’s block is better than not writing at all.”

— Charles Bukowski

9. HOW TO GET RID OF WRITER'S BLOCK

Find a new hobby.

A craft or hobby can be the best answer for beating the creative blues.

Whittling, cobbling, and cooking all count as hobbies! So do gardening, knitting, and collecting snow globes.

A hobby or craft gives the mind a sense of workflow and completion. They require attention. They force your brain to focus.

Focus is an enemy of writer’s block and a friend to the writer.

So if you don’t have a hobby, maybe it’s time to find one. Your world and your writing will broaden. Try your local community college, which undoubtedly has an array of classes.

Some people knit, others whittle to get rid of writer’s block

10. getting over writer's block, watch a short film.

Watching a short film, a concise and contained story, is a surefire solution to moving forward with whatever you’re writing.

Just like features, short films provide different perspectives, new ways of thinking, emotion, and closure ― but in less time.

Voila! You’ve just written your way out of the doldrums.

Take a look at a genre-specific short film. Make a quick outline of it. Then expand on the story in a few sentences. What happens next?

What is writer’s block? Bryan Cranston knows all too well.

• The Best Short Films of All Time →
• How to Brainstorm Short Film Ideas →
• Rules for Writing Award-Worthy Short Films →

11. GETTING OVER WRITER'S BLOCK

Try cleaning your house.

Artists tend to work in spaces consumed by things. If this sounds like you, try a quick tidy-up. You might find that un-cluttering your workspace also de-clutters your mind. Cleaning gives you a “fresh start” and might lead to overcoming writer’s block.  

This is a question of taste. If you discover that clutter works for you, by all means, keep it messy.

But shift your clutter around. Seeing your area, even your mountains of clutter, in a new light is what you’re after.

When afternoon sun reflects off the south face of your newly rearranged laundry pile, you might get inspired.

Since you need to know how to get over unproductively, we’ll emphasize right here that cleaning or rearranging your stuff is a go-to cure.

“Breaking through writer’s block is like thinking out of the box: Both require an ability to imagine a world outside your four walls or rearranging them to get a better view.”

— Susan J. McIntire

12. HOW TO CURE WRITER'S BLOCK

Create a story circle.

The story circle is a storytelling tool and it helps you improve the structure of a story and was originally based on Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey. 

As a writing exercise, this can be effective to write out your story and think of all the elements holistically as a way to kick your writer's block. 

Dan Harmon's story circle

• Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey in 17 Steps →
• Internal and External Conflict Can Energize Your Story →
• FREE Download: Script Breakdown Sheet Template →

13. GETTING OVER WRITER'S BLOCK

Complete a simple task.

Completing a simple task is another way to move forward and get past writer’s block.

Taking out the trash, scrambling eggs, and watering plants all have the potential to impact creativity. You’ll also be able to scratch a chore off your list.

Making coffee is a simple and quick task. It also leads beautifully to the next item on our list of how to get over writer’s block.

Whatever your simple task is, make sure it isn’t stress-inducing in any way. Stressful tasks can be counterproductive. Multitasking, too, is not the best answer to cure your block. Stick to one thing.

14. GETTING OVER WRITER'S BLOCK

Make a writing schedule.

Does a routine sound boring?

As a writer, a routine can be your best friend.

Sitting down to write at the same time every day, and for the same length of time, forces the creative mind to produce the goods. If you go into it treating writing as your job, then you are simply more likely to get your job done.

That doesn’t mean it has to be a chore or a hassle. The fun and inspiration will come. Routine is the process you use to get to that place of fun and inspiration.

Your schedule can be your best cure when the muse won’t visit.

Your schedule doesn’t have to be ironclad, but routine and consistency are what you’re going for here.

Every film needs a  shooting schedule .

Every writer needs a writing schedule. Routine is not a dirty word.

“Writer’s block? I’ve heard of this. This is when a writer cannot write, yes? Then that person isn’t a writer anymore. I’m sorry, but the job is getting up in the f***ing morning and writing for a living.”  

—  Warren Ellis

15. Writer's block cure

Practice a new language.

This is one of our favorites hacks for keeping pen to paper. The beauty of French, the structure of Japanese, the melody of Italian, the vowels of Arabic — learning another language, or involving a language you already have mastered, can give you a big creative push.  

Maybe one of the characters you’ve created speaks another language. This backstory alone can get a writer over a hurdle. Mashable has tips on where to look to learn a new language.

Another hack is to take a poem or phrase in another language and use it as the focus of your story.

For instance,  je ne sais quois …  What does the French term mean? How can it be applied to your work?

Research the history of the phrase, and your writing will take on a whole new life.

How do you say writer’s block in Swedish?

16. writer's block cure, drink some coffee.

We aren’t the first to suggest coffee to boost output. Caffeine does wonders stimulating the mind. It spurs writers in every medium to get moving. Literally, it’s a diuretic.

If caffeine isn’t for you, other natural stimulants exist. Ginseng, ginkgo biloba, and ― oh yes, wait for it ― dark chocolate all act as natural stimulants

“I don’t sit around waiting for passion to strike me. I keep working steadily because I believe it is our privilege as humans to keep making things. Most of all, I keep working because I trust that creativity is always trying to find me, even when I have lost sight of it.”

― Elizabeth Gilbert

17. GETTING OVER WRITER'S BLOCK

Change your scenery.

This seems like a no-brainer in our quest for a writer’s block cure. Still, most people get stuck in a rut that has less to do with what they’re doing than where they’re doing it.

Even something as simple as changing the direction you usually face when you’re writing can do wonders for your creative energy.

It can also do wonders for your characters. Travel is an eye-opening experience.

This is true with the people you come across. Meeting and observing new people in new places will get you past writer’s block.

What is writer’s block? It’s quicksand.

What is travel? It’s movement and a lifeline.

“There's a lot of optimism in changing scenery, in seeing what's down the road."

― Conor Oberst

18. WRITER'S BLOCK cure

Get some exercise.

Exercise does wonders for the body and mind. Endorphins give you a runner’s high, which can translate to productivity and energy in all other areas of life and work.

You don’t have to run a marathon or do hot yoga to get the blood pumping. Try alternating between 10 push-ups and 10 sit-ups every 10 minutes over the course of an hour.

It’ll do wonders.

Pick something easy. Even stretching helps. Remember, objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Remaining sedentary will make sure your writer’s block doesn’t go anywhere, either.

How to overcome writer’s block? Get fit!

19. writer's block cure, go outside and play.

Let’s face it, if you’re stuck at a computer with a bad case of the blank page, it might mean that you aren’t living enough to write about living. What can you do?

Get outside and live a little. Or, go outside and live a lot!

Laughter and joy in the real world can be the perfect antidote to the crime series you’re creating. Even a writer’s group counts as play. You’re engaging, communicating ― living.

Join a group of writers to get rid of writer's block.

20. WRITER'S BLOCK CURE

Dictate and record.

Maybe the most fun way to overcome your impediment is to tell yourself a story out loud and record it, giving you a solid place to start.

Even kicking off with “once upon a time” requires creative expansion. Pretend you have an audience. Children, old folks, tourists, a judge: your imagined audience can guide your tone.

You might find that, for now, it’s easier to tell a story than to write it. Use what you’ve got!

If you want to get over your block? Tell yourself a story.

21. WRITER'S BLOCK CURE

Have a cocktail to cure writer’s block.

I don’t advocate resorting to alcohol all the time, but sipping a cocktail has certainly helped many a writer.

There is a fine line between having a drink to loosen up and being unable to type from blurry-eyed tequila-vision . You don’t want to spend every waking hour seeing the world at a dutch angle .

So you’ve taken a sip. Now use your drink as a writing prompt. What does it look like, taste like, and feel like as you swallow?

Hey doc, I’ve got the writer’s block.

Take two sips and call me in the morning.

“When you work hard all day with your head and know you must work again the next day what else can change your ideas and make them run on a different plane like whiskey? When you are cold and wet what else can warm you?”

—  Ernest Hemingway

22. WRITER'S BLOCK CURE

Go through a guided visualization.

If you feel a creative block approaching, it could also be due to overthinking. Another way to clear your mind is through guided visualization — which is easier than mediating and a great way to activate the imagination.

This could take about 10-minutes, but it can be a surefire way of shaking you out of things.

Follow along right here:

Guided visualization to cure writer's block

23. writer's block cure, clear your mind to cure writer's block.

The truth is, prayer, meditation, yoga, or whatever you want to do to center your creative mind, can be clutch as a cure for writer’s block. Meditative activities such as prayer help to center the creative mind.

The clean slate in your head can inspire you when you face the clean slate of the page.

How to overcome writer’s block? Meditate

Tips for writing short films.

We’ve given you ideas for overcoming writer’s block. Try one, try a few, or try them all.  But most importantly keep writing. Make note of what works for you — we promise something will.

But make sure you realize that when you can’t create, it’s usually a mental block more than creative one. Now that you’ve kicked the muse to the curb, it’s time to focus your writing even more. Learn the best tips for writing a short film that gets noticed.

Up Next: Write a Short Film that Gets Noticed →

Write and produce your scripts all in one place..

Write and collaborate on your scripts FREE . Create script breakdowns, sides, schedules, storyboards, call sheets and more.

• Pricing & Plans
• Product Updates
• Featured On
• StudioBinder Partners
• The Ultimate Guide to Call Sheets (with FREE Call Sheet Template)
• How to Break Down a Script (with FREE Script Breakdown Sheet)
• The Only Shot List Template You Need — with Free Download
• Managing Your Film Budget Cashflow & PO Log (Free Template)
• A Better Film Crew List Template Booking Sheet
• Best Storyboard Softwares (with free Storyboard Templates)
• Movie Magic Scheduling
• Gorilla Software
• Storyboard That

A visual medium requires visual methods. Master the art of visual storytelling with our FREE video series on directing and filmmaking techniques.

We’re in a golden age of TV writing and development. More and more people are flocking to the small screen to find daily entertainment. So how can you break put from the pack and get your idea onto the small screen? We’re here to help.

• Making It: From Pre-Production to Screen
• What is Film Distribution — The Ultimate Guide for Filmmakers
• What is a Fable — Definition, Examples & Characteristics
• Whiplash Script PDF Download — Plot, Characters and Theme
• What Is a Talking Head — Definition and Examples
• What is Blue Comedy — Definitions, Examples and Impact
• 838 Facebook
• 13 Pinterest

Looking to publish? Meet your dream editor, designer and marketer on Reedsy.

Find the perfect editor for your next book

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Apr 05, 2024

Writer's Block: How to Overcome Writing Constipation

Writer's block can hit at any point in a writer's career. Though he might deny it, the fact that George R.R. Martin has been writing the next installment of his Song of Ice and Fire saga for over 13 years might suggest that even the most successful and prolific writers are not immune to authorial constipation.

In this guide, we'll examine the possible causes of writer's block and share some of our favorite remedies for this most dreaded of creative curses.

What is Writer's Block?

Writer's block is a common challenge in the creative process that causes writers to stagnate while writing their works. It occurs when authors struggle to think of ideas or generate new material. Many writers will try to push through it and hope it goes away on its own. While this often works, the specific cause of chronic writer’s block often needs to be diagnosed before it can be dealt with. 

According to Doctor Reedsy (not a medical doctor), the most common causes of writer's block include:

Lack of motivation. Without a reason to write — consequences should you not complete your writing on time — your creative drive can run dry.

Loss of confidence in your ideas. You may have plenty of ideas, but nothing seems quite right or worthy of being written about.

Anxiety over the quality of your work. Imposter syndrome is a real thing and can leave you paralyzed

Toxic perfectionism. Do you find yourself re-writing sentences endlessly? Then this might be your issue.

Real-life problems getting in the way.  Bills? Children? Social obligations? These can all stop you from writing.

So, what's next?

10 Ways to Overcome Writer's Block

Now that we've established the cause of your particular strain of creative constipation, there are plenty of concrete ways to combat writer’s block! 

How to overcome writer's block:

• Determine the root of the problem 
• List your favorite books and writers 
• Build a solid routine 
• Write it badly at first 
• Find a different way into the story
• Start in the middle 
• Optimize your toolkit 
• Write something else
• Do something other than writing 
• Stop believing in the myth of writer’s block

1. Determine the root of the problem 

Contrary to what you might think, writer’s block isn’t a sign that you’re a “bad writer” — it’s something that almost every writer will face at some point. But while most writers have this experience in common, the underlying causes can be quite different.

So let's dig deep: why are you really blocked? Ask yourself:

• Do I feel pressure to succeed and/or compete with other writers?
• Have I lost sight of what my story is about, or interest in where it's going?
• Do I lack confidence in my own abilities, even if I've written plenty before?
• Have I not written for so long that I feel intimidated by the mere act?
• Am I simply feeling tired and run down?

Each of these problems has a different solution. For example, if perfectionism is strangling your writing, you might try leaning into the fact that no one’s first draft is perfect — in which case, tactic #4 on this list could really help you. Or if you’re feeling uninspired, you could turn to some of the resources in #7!

Of course, there’s no quick fix for any one of these causes. But understanding where your problem lies will help you know which tips are best for you as you go through our list.

2. List your favorite books and writers 

What inspired you to start writing in the first place? Perhaps you’ve got a favorite book you could turn to — or an author you admire. When you find yourself feeling stuck, it can really help to return to these sources to reignite that initial spark. 

Take The Great Gatsby , for example — are you drawn to the parties and glamor of 1920s New York? Perhaps you’re captivated by the extravagant, larger-than-life characters or the drama and intrigue throughout the story. Or maybe you love the literary embellishments of Nabokov — it might be tough at first, but you could try writing in a similarly elaborate style.

Work out what you look for in the books you read, whatever it might be, and incorporate that into your own work. (And the next time you find yourself wanting inspiration, well, that’s a perfect excuse to read even more!)

3. Build a solid routine 

Author and dancer Twyla Tharp once wrote, “Creativity is a habit.” This might seem counterintuitive to some — isn’t creativity something that naturally ebbs and flows, not something you can schedule? But the truth is, if you only write when you “feel creative”, you’re bound to get stuck in a rut. One of the best ways to push through is by writing on a regular schedule. 

You may already have a routine of sorts, but if you’re experiencing writer’s block, it’s time to switch things up. Figure out the days and times that really work best for you — if you feel most productive in the mornings, it could be worth waking up half an hour earlier to squeeze in some writing. Or, if you prefer low-pressure writing sessions, you could try Sunday afternoons when you have no other commitments.

Whichever days and times you choose, be consistent. The only way to build a reliable routine is to actually stick to your chosen sessions! Give it at least 3-4 weeks, and you’ll start seeing real progress.

FREE COURSE

How to Build a Solid Writing Routine

In 10 days, learn to change your habits to support your writing.

4. Write it badly at first 

Many writers suffer from perfectionism, which is especially debilitating during a first draft. Reedsy editor Lauren Hughes says:

“Blocks often occur because writers put a lot of pressure on themselves to sound ‘right’ the first time. A good way to loosen up and have fun again in a draft is to give yourself permission to write imperfectly.”

Writers often spend hours looking for the perfect phrasing to illustrate a concept. You can avoid this fruitless (and block-engendering) endeavor by putting, “In other words…” and simply writing what you’re thinking, whether it’s eloquent or not. You can then come back and refine it later by doing a CTRL+F search for “in other words.”

And if you’re truly paralyzed, you might consider the extreme solution of The Most Dangerous Writing App . Just set up a timed writing session, and if you stop typing for more than a few seconds, all your text will disappear. Needless to say, this app lives up to its name — but if you’re desperate to stop overthinking everything you write, it’s sure to get the job done!

5. Find a different way into the story

To move beyond a block, Hughes also suggests trying to see your story from another perspective. “How might a minor character narrate the scene if they were witnessing it? A ‘fly on the wall’ or another inanimate object?” Altering your story’s point of view (even temporarily) is a great way to break out of mental constraints and gain new insight.

To see point of view in action, here's an in-depth look at what POV is, complete with various examples .

Alternatively, going deeper into the backstory of one of your main characters could give you a better understanding of their motivations — which will, in turn, drive your story forward. Ask yourself what would make your character satisfied with their life. What are their goals? What are they willing to risk to achieve them? Once you have the answers to these broader questions, you can look at them in any scenario and ask, “What is their goal in this particular situation? What action(s) will they take to pursue it?”

For example, if your protagonist’s main goal were to save up and move away, how would they react if their best friend asked for a loan? Or if they entered a new relationship right before they were due to leave?

Different personalities and goals lead to conflicts that drive your story — indeed, if a POV change or more backstory doesn’t fix your writer’s block, go ahead and dive straight into conflict! Which leads into our next tip... 

Understanding Point of View

Learn to master different POVs and choose the best for your story.

6. Start in the middle 

There’s no hard-and-fast rule about starting at the beginning when writing a story — if you feel more excited about the middle, then start there! Or maybe you know exactly how you want your story to end and would prefer to work backward. Either way, you’ll feel less pressure to make a good impression with your first scene — and by the time you return to the beginning, you’ll be all warmed up!

If you haven’t already, you could also try mapping out your story in full to get a better idea of the bigger picture. Though improvising is fun, an outline will provide a much clearer picture of where your story’s heading and might give you a boost to keep writing! Not to mention that figuring out your story's trajectory can not only solve your current block but also prevent more blocks in the future.

FREE RESOURCE

Get our Book Development Template

Use this template to go from a vague idea to a solid plan for a first draft.

As author Tom Evans says, when you start outlining, you’ll find that “the information you need to write that following chapter has an uncanny way of just showing up. Your brain tunes in to what you need to write... and the chapter just flows.” With this blueprint in hand, you’ll have a much easier time constructing your story.

7. Optimize your toolkit 

• The Reedsy Book Editor is a free tool that will format your book for you as you write — it even comes with a built-in goal reminder system!
• The Plot Generator with one million plot combinations is a great place to start if you’re stuck for inspiration. 
• Or try the Character Name Generator if you’re working on fleshing out some of your side characters.

FREE WRITING APP

The Reedsy Book Editor

Set goals, track progress, and establish your writing routine in our free app.

8. Write something else

Sometimes it can help to take your mind off your current project and work on something else. Don’t worry — we’re not suggesting you ditch your novel and start a new one, but taking some time away to write something else could leave you feeling refreshed and even spark ideas for your other work!

Using the tools from our last tip, you could try writing the outline for a plot completely different from your main project, or fleshing out the backstory of a random character from the generator (use the questions from #5 to help you out!). If none of these take your fancy, check out Reedsy Prompts for over 1,000 short story prompts to help get your creative juices flowing!

9. Do something other than writing 

Showering, going for a walk, and preparing a nutritious meal are tasks that most people would agree are easier than writing a novel — but they can all help give you space to daydream and make creative connections that you might otherwise miss. Just lather, rinse, and repeat until you’ve kicked that block to the curb!

Creativity breeds creativity

Feel like you need more time away? That’s no problem! Try and find other creative projects to inspire you. Children’s book editor Maria Tunney finds that one of the best ways to climb out of a writing funk is to take yourself out of your own work and into someone else’s:

“Go to an exhibition, to the cinema, to a play, a gig, eat a delicious meal — immerse yourself in great stuff and get your synapses crackling in a different way. Snippets of conversations, sounds, colors, sensations will creep into the space that once felt empty. Perhaps, then, you can return to your own desk with a new spark of intention.”

Remember, everyone needs to take a break from their work from time to time. Trying to force words onto a page when you’re burnt out will do more harm than good — and taking some time away could be just what you need to get the wheels turning again.

10. Stop believing in the myth of writer’s block

Writing is hard — there’s no doubt about it. After spending anywhere from weeks to years working on a project, you’re bound to feel frustrated if you reach a seemingly insurmountable roadblock. That said, there is always a root cause of the problem — and though it may take some time and dedication, there’ll be a way to solve it.

On top of all the tactics listed above, here are a few mantras to keep in mind as you attempt to tackle your writer’s block:

• “There is no permanent block, only temporary setbacks.”
• “It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop.”
• “Every great writer has been here too.”

There’s no magic trick or formula when it comes to overcoming writer’s block. But if you add these 10 tips to your creative arsenal, you’ll be well on your way to kicking it to the curb!

Continue reading

Recommended posts from the Reedsy Blog

How Many Sentences Are in a Paragraph?

From fiction to nonfiction works, the length of a paragraph varies depending on its purpose. Here's everything you need to know.

Narrative Structure: Definition, Examples, and Writing Tips

What's the difference between story structure and narrative structure? And how do you choose the right narrative structure for you novel?

What is the Proust Questionnaire? 22 Questions to Write Better Characters

Inspired by Marcel Proust, check out the questionnaire that will help your characters remember things past.

What is Pathos? Definition and Examples in Literature

Pathos is a literary device that uses language to evoke an emotional response, typically to connect readers with the characters in a story.

How to Start a Children’s Book: Coming Up with Your Big Idea

If you've ever dreamed of writing a children's book but aren't sure where to start, check out this post to learn more about how you can create the perfect story for kids.

How to Become a Travel Writer in 5 Steps: A Guide for Travel Bugs

If you want to get paid to share your adventures, learn how to become a travel writer with these five tips.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

We have an app for that

Build a writing routine with our free writing app.

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

Improve your writing in one of the largest and most successful writing groups online

Join our writing community!

What Is Writer’s Block? with 15+ Ways to Beat It for Good

by Fija Callaghan

Writer’s block is the fierce dragon of the literary world. It’s the monster under the bed. It’s the malignant force that turns a blank page from sympathetic co-conspirator to vicious, subversive enemy. Writer’s block is every writer’s worst nightmare.

If you’re faced with a bout of writer’s block, we’ve got good news for you:

1.) You’re not alone. All writers experience writer’s block at various stages in their writerly practice.

2.) You can annihilate the beast one and for all, and we’re going to show you how.

What is writer’s block?

Writer’s block is when a writer finds themselves unable to move forward in their writing process. They might not be able to come up with any new ideas, or they might have ideas but can’t get them out onto the page. Writer’s block can vary in severity, lasting from hours to years.

What’s worse is that writer’s block is something that tends to feed on itself. Overcoming writer’s block that’s only been present a couple of days is fairly easy, but if left unaddressed, it becomes harder and harder to manage over time.

That may sound scary, but don’t worry! We’ll show you some foolproof tricks to beat writer’s block before it spirals out of hand.

What causes writer’s block?

Many famous writers struggle with this obstacle. Here are the primary causes of writer’s block that many writers will face at some point during their careers.

Creative stagnation

Writer’s block seeps into the empty space left behind when creativity stops. The longer you go without engaging in writing or other creative tasks, the more you build a hospitable environment for writer’s block to thrive and grow. And the more you allow writer’s block to overtake your internal creative space, the harder it is to get rid of.

(The creepy tar thing in FernGully may have been a metaphor for environmental pollution, but it definitely could have been a metaphor for writer’s block.)

Too many distractions

We get it—you’ve got lives. Jobs, education, tiny humans that need constant maintenance, the new season of your favourite Netflix binge, Instagram… the problem is that there’s always a reason not to write, and, as we saw above, allowing your writing to slip is what invites writer’s block into your life.

Internalized fear

Creativity is the foundation of our world, but can also be… kind of terrifying? Many writers have a fear of beginning to write because they lack confidence and feel what they put down won’t live up to the idea they have in their head. Or they might think they’ll never compare with the authors they love. There’s this sense that by putting words down on the page that somehow fall short of your expectations, you’ll be forced to look your failings right in the face.

Perfectionism

Some writers are so demanding of themselves that they don’t want any sub-par scribbles marring the perfect canvas of their work. This means they never trust themselves enough to even begin their first draft. They may also be afraid of writing something imperfect and revealing their own limitations.

The writer’s block fallacy

Dumbledore was on to something when he said, “Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.”

Finding yourself in a writing funk is the literal worst. However, be very mindful of assigning writer’s block too much of its own agency. By giving writer’s block a name, we allow it to become an external enemy over which we have no control, like a seasonal flu: I’m going through a rough case of Writer’s Block right now. Oh man, I had that last spring, it’s the worst. Yeah, the doc says I should just wait it out, get lots of rest. Ah well, we’ve all had it, give it time —

By treating writer’s block as something other , we disassociate and give ourselves permission to reject responsibility for our art. The first step to really conquering writer’s block is to take ownership of it as a piece of you—which means that you’re in charge.

Remember: writer’s block is an unconscious choice . Overcoming writer’s block is a conscious choice .

Ways to overcome writer’s block

Easier said than done, we know. Don’t despair! When you’re feeling stuck in a creative slowdown, try one (or several!) of these ways to overcome writer’s block and get your creative juices flowing.

1. Determine what’s really happening

If you’re suffering from writer’s block, chances are something is holding you back. See if you can identify what it is and address it. Are you petrified by existential self-doubt? Do you feel pressured to compare with other writers? Have you lost interest in the project you’re working on? Or maybe you’ve gone so long without writing that you find the act of starting up again intimidating? If you can pin down the root cause of your writer’s block, you’ll be able to determine the best way to overcome it.

2. Get words down on paper

Creativity is a bit like a faucet—you need to run it often for it to function at its best. If you go a long time without turning the faucet on, you might get some water with rust and debris and bits of bird poo coming out before you get to the fresh, clear stuff. But if your creativity faucet is backed up, the only way to clear it out is by flushing out the murky water.

In writing terms, this means getting something down on paper to “flush out” the blocked passages. At this stage, you don’t have to worry about it being any good.

Once again, because I cannot stress this enough: it doesn’t have to be any good . It just needs to exist so you can access the quality juice behind it. If you can manage to start writing, you’ll find your creativity begins to flow a lot more smoothly.

3. Use writing prompts

If you’re stuck for ideas, try out a writing prompt! The internet is full of prompts designed to trigger inspiration, from the silly to the thought-provoking. Writing prompts might include something like the first line to kick off a story, a situation to drop two characters in, or a “what if” question around which to build a plot. Writing prompts are a surefire way to get your words moving and overcome writer’s block.

4. Put it in a letter

In the interest of getting words on paper and uncovering the root cause of your slump, try writing about your writers block! You can pen a letter to your best friend, a family member, your crush, or your pet. You don’t have to send this letter (though you can if you want to), but having an imaginary someone on the other side can give you a focal point and help you unpack your thoughts. Try telling them what your story’s about, what you feel when you look at the page, and what you’d like to accomplish.

5. Set manageable goals

Try setting small, obtainable writing goals for yourself. Some writers aim for a thousand words before they finish for the day, but if that seems monumental, you can start with a few lines, or even one sentence. If looking at a blank page fills you with terror, try telling yourself, “I’ll just write one sentence of my novel, and then I’ll take a little break.” If you get that sentence down, great! See if you can write a second one. If not, come back to it later. Start with tiny victories and work your way up to larger ones.

6. Try a reward system

Some writers respond well to positive reinforcement, so try rewarding yourself every time you reach your daily goal. Maybe you think, “If I manage to write five hundred words today, I’ll buy myself an ice cream cone.” This gives you a tangible objective to work towards.

Just make sure your reward is something you only get when you meet your writing goals, and not something you have all the time. It should be a small luxury that makes your writing sessions feel productive and enriching.

7. Create a writing routine

Professional writers often build a regular routine around their creative process. For instance, you might promise yourself to work from 7:30am to 8:30am each morning before you go to your job, or from 8pm to 9pm each evening. Or, you might devote one of your days off to writing practice and work in one-hour busts with half-hour breaks in between. Everyone is different, so find the rhythm and writing schedule that works best for you.

Another way to create a sense of routine and overcome writer’s block is to always write in the same place with the same accoutrements. This will send your brain a signal that it’s time to write. This might be a certain coffee cup that you use while you’re writing, a particular album that you listen to, or a special “writer sweater” to keep you cosy.

8. Try out the Pomodoro technique

The Pomodoro technique is one type of scheduling that works well for a lot of people, and it might work for you. This involves setting a timer, such as a kitchen timer or the one on your phone (the name comes from the tomato-shaped kitchen timer used by the guy who invented it), for twenty-five minutes at a time. This is proven to be the time span in which we’re most productive.

After twenty-five minutes, take a five minute break to grab a snack or stretch your legs. After four twenty-five minute sessions (sometimes called “pomodoros”), take a longer break of about half an hour. This process is a proven method to maximise your productivity without burning yourself out.

9. Approach your story from a different angle

If you’re in the middle of a story and aren’t sure where to go next, try looking at it in another way. Try writing a scene from a different character’s perspective, or setting a conversation in a different location. Or, you could write a story from the past of one of your supporting characters and learn who they were before they became a part of your plot.

These scenes may not end up in your finished project (although they might, if you discover something about them you want to include), but exploring new facets of your story world may reveal surprising nuances and help you overcome writer’s block.

10. Start in the middle—or the end

You may feel stuck because, while you have some great ideas for your story’s conflict and astonishing twist ending, you aren’t quite sure how to begin. But here’s a deep, universal truth: anyone who says you must begin your story on page one is lying to you.

If you can see your hero’s final battle in your mind, go ahead and write that scene. Or the moment where they meet-cute their love interest for the first time. Or the scene where they finally overcome their flaws and become a better person. During your first draft, you don’t need to worry about getting everything in the right order (that’s what revision is for!)—just worry about getting it all down on the page. You may find you develop a better idea of where to begin as you go.

11. Use placeholders

You might find that a particular scene is giving you a lot of trouble because it’s too challenging, sensitive, or unclear. In this case, you can simply make a note and move on to the rest of your story. For example, you could pause in your narrative to say [THE BEST FRIENDS HAVE A BIG FIGHT], and then continue writing the next scene. You can always come back to it later with fresh eyes. The important thing is to keep moving.

12. Change your medium

Sometimes, simply changing the writing tool of your work can feel like a fresh start. If you usually write on paper, try switching to a computer screen for a while—or vice versa. If you’re writing on a computer, you can also try changing up the size and font of your text. Some writers swear by composing in Comic Sans to maximize their productivity. A small change can signal a psychological shift that kickstarts that initial spark.

13.Change tracks

If you’re stuck on your current project, try channeling your creative energy into something else. For example, you might take a break from your novel to try writing a piece of low-stress flash fiction or a poem. Or, you may wind down with another creative activity, like drawing or painting. This way you’re still keeping your creativity engaged while taking a step back from experiencing writer’s block.

14. Build a welcoming workspace

It’s tough to write well in a space that’s overflowing with dirty clothes and last week’s takeout. Even if you’re not normally a clean freak, try to prioritise the space you do your writing in and make it as welcoming and creatively conducive as possible. Keep it hygienic, and think about little personal touches that might make it feel like an artistic safe place. Some writers love having fresh flowers around while they work, while others like having warm candlelight nearby (don’t strain your eyes though! And keep that open flame away from your notes). Creating a place where creativity can flourish might be what you need to combat writer’s block.

15. Move to a new environment

Sometimes, though, moving around can be the trick to unstoppering your creative block. If it’s a nice day, try going outside and writing out in the natural world. Or, you might go to a cosy library or café to get the right words flowing. Even if you’re stuck indoors, just moving from one room to another can feel like a fresh start.

If all else fails, curl up with a good book for a while. Most writers are also readers, and dissecting how a well-crafted story is put together is one of the best skills a writer can have. Look at the way other authors have written their sentences and scenes, and see if you find some inspiration after a chapter or two.

17. Take a step back

You can also take a break from your writing session by getting some fresh air or taking time to talk with a non-writer friend. You might find that your best ideas come when you’ve taken the pressure off and are remembering what the outside world looks like.

Overcoming writer’s block is the next step in bringing your story to life

Almost every writer suffers from writer’s block at some point, but it doesn’t have to be a death sentence for your beautiful work. With these foolproof tricks, you can obliterate writer’s block once and for all!

Get feedback on your writing today!

Scribophile is a community of hundreds of thousands of writers from all over the world. Meet beta readers, get feedback on your writing, and become a better writer!

Join now for free

Related articles

What Is a Shitty First Draft (And Why You Need One!)

What is a Writer’s Voice & Tips for Finding Your Writing Voice

Memoir vs. Autobiography: What Are the Differences?

How to Overcome Your Fear of Being a Bad Writer

How to End a Story: 7 Different Kinds of Endings

Freytag’s Pyramid: Definitions and Examples of Dramatic Structure

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

A description of common causes of writer’s block and advice for overcoming these blocks.

Written by Kylie Regan.

Most writers experience writer’s block at some point in their life, at various stages of the writing process. Often a solution can be found by speaking with your instructor (if you are a student) or a writing tutor. But there are ways to combat writer’s block on your own, too! When you’re having trouble figuring out what to write next, consider these common types of writer’s block and try the strategies that sound most promising.

If you're having trouble finding a starting place for the assignment...

• Brainstorm topics that are interesting to you. Use the invention strategies suggested by a tutor or teacher to generate questions or thoughts that serve as useful starting places.
• Write down all the primary ideas you'd like to express and then fill in each with the smaller ideas that make up each primary idea. This can easily be converted into an outline .
• If your paper involves conducting research, you can look for places where you disagree with another thinker’s claim or feel more work needs to be done. Identifying gaps or conflicts in the existing conversation around a topic is often a great starting place.

Example: You’ve been asked to analyze a television commercial. You remember three commercials that you found interesting and re-watch them, taking notes on details that stand out to you. You freewrite for five minutes on each of the three commercials, and discover that you have much more to say about one than the others. You focus on that one, expanding your freewrite into the an outline for the entire essay.

If you have a topic and an outline, but can’t think of an interesting beginning…

• After the paper is completely drafted, you can get all the sections in the correct order and read it start-to-finish to ensure that transitions are smooth.

Example: You have to complete a lab report and hate writing the “Introduction” section. In order to complete the project on time, you overcome your anxiety about writing that section by first writing the “Materials,” “Method,” and “Results” sections. You write the “Introduction” last, reorder, and revise holistically.

If you’ve chosen or been assigned a topic that bores you…

• If you’ve chosen a common topic just because you thought it would be easy to write on, reconsider: it’s easiest to write about something in which you have a personal interest.
• If you can’t change the major scope or goal of the assignment, try to understand why you’re being asked to write it. What knowledge will you gain from completing the assignment? What skills will you be able to practice? Who would benefit from reading my finished product, and how would that positively change that community?

Example: You work for your campus newspaper and have been assigned to write an article on an upcoming career fair. Although at first your editor asks you to simply inform students of what companies will be represented at the event, you find that you’re much more interested in profiling a certain company that’s new to the fair. You talk to your editor and get permission to write the article that engages you more.

Example: The same scenario as above, but your editor tells you that you have to write the original, more general article. Although it’s boring to you, you reflect that you’ll gain practice presenting a mass of information in concise language, certainly a useful skill for a journalist. Additionally, there are thousands of students on campus who would benefit from the information your article will cover. This motivates you to write the article.

If you don’t understand the assignment…

• The better you can articulate the source of confusion, the more help others can give you.

Example: Your composition instructor has asked you to write a Digital Literacy Narrative. The assignment sheet provides a definition of “digital literacy,” and you have some class notes that further clarify the concept. But after reviewing these materials, you’re still not certain if your instructor would allow you to write about how you learned to use different coffee-making technologies, as they aren’t traditionally considered digital devices. You go to your instructor’s office hours to ask if this topic would be acceptable, taking your annotated assignment sheet and class notes with you.

If you’re worried that you’ll write the wrong thing…

• Remember that the first draft is not the final draft. If you’re not sure that an argument will pan out, just start writing it and see where it takes you. You can always delete paragraphs that don’t work out later, but the best insights often come from pushing yourself into uncertain territory—if you never feel unsure about your claims, you’re probably just reproducing existing findings!
• If you’re worried that a small detail is incorrect, that’s okay in the draft phase. Rather than spending a lot of time checking every small detail as you go, just leave a note to yourself to check your sources later. Or, leave the troublesome paragraph for later and work on a section that you’re more confident writing about.

Example: You’re writing a paper on King Henry VIII and can’t remember off the top of your head whether he beheaded two or three of his wives. The answer to this question wouldn’t change your major argument either way, so you decide it’s not important to look up right now. You write “two,” highlight it, and leave a note to yourself to check this minor supporting fact against your research notes later.

If you’re worried that your sentences aren’t polished enough…

• Remember, again, that the first draft is not the final draft. The sooner you get some words on the page, the more time you’ll have to edit your prose for clarity and style later. Complete an entire draft before you start editing on the sentence level.
• If you find yourself consistently obsessing over individual sentences as you go, try dimming or covering your laptop or computer monitor’s screen so that you can’t see what you’re typing. You can also try writing in a notebook and typing up your work later.
• Consciously stop any non-productive comments running through your head by replacing them with productive ones. Rather than labeling yourself a “bad writer,” think about what parts of the writing process you excel at (idea generation, conclusions, sentence style, etc.) and plan to allot more time for the steps that take you longer.

Example: You’re writing a paper on the effects of all-nighters on college student’s health. You can’t think of the word “deleterious.” After a few seconds of futilely scanning your brain for it, you write “super harmful,” knowing that you can find the more professional word later.

If you’re so stressed out that you can’t seem to put a word on the page…

• Take a short break! If you’re close to a deadline and worried about losing track of time, then set a timer for ten or fifteen minutes and use that short window to relax before getting back to work. Stretch, move away from your desk, and don’t neglect your sleeping and eating schedule. It’s much harder to write if you’re sleep-deprived or dehydrated.
• If you have several days left before your deadline, break the assignment into manageable parts. Set measurable writing goals for yourself, like writing without interruption for thirty minutes every day, or writing a certain number of words by a given deadline.
• Finally, ask for help! Writing is most stressful when you’re doing it by yourself for a long period of time. Asking a tutor or a friend to talk through your ideas can help you get some perspective on the assignment, and remind you that it’s nothing to be anxious about.

Example: You have a week before an important job application is due and you’re anxious that the search committee will dislike your cover letter before you’ve even written it. Since you still have plenty of time before the deadline, you plan to work on it for just thirty minutes every day. You talk to a friend who helps you make a list of reasons why you’re qualified for this job, and you stick to your writing schedule.

If you’re easily distracted when you open your computer to write…

• Try temporarily disabling your internet access. Take your laptop to a space that doesn’t have internet access. Draft by hand in a notebook and type up your work later. Or, simply turn your computer’s wifi detector off, or put your document into full-screen or “Focus” mode: these obstacles are easy to overcome, but the time it takes to make the few extra clicks to open an internet browser is sometimes enough to stop yourself.
• You can also try setting a timer forcing yourself to do nothing but write for a short period of time. Even a ten-minute focused writing session can help you break through initial writer’s block and build momentum on your project.

Example: You start to work on your paper, and after writing one sentence feel the impulse to watch just one YouTube video. However, as you have wisely decided to take your computer to the house of a friend who doesn’t have internet, your browser gives you a frowny face and an error message. You return to your paper and keep writing.

How To Overcome Writer’s Block (20 Tricks That Really Work)

When it comes to writer’s block, you don’t want to play around. You want to deliver a knock-out punch.

Here’s how to overcome writer’s block:

You overcome writer’s block with the Writer’s Block Destroyer System. In this system, you identify the specific type of writer’s block, apply the customized solution for your specific type of writer’s block, and test the effect. If needed, you apply 20 alternative strategies and retest.

In this article, you’ll learn my foolproof system for overcoming writer’s block.

If you follow the steps, I can virtually guarantee that you will never have to worry about writer’s block again.

What Is Writer’s Block?

Table of Contents

Anyone who has ever tried to be creative knows that it is not always easy.

For some, the blank page (or canvas, or whatever) can be so intimidating that it’s hard to even get started. This is often referred to as “creative block” or “resistance.”

To put it simply, writer’s block is the inability to write .

It can strike at any time, whether you’re a professional artist or just trying to doodle a bit in your spare time.

Writer’s Block Symptoms

The symptoms of writer’s block include:

• Not writing
• Frustration
• Extreme expectations
• Unreaslistic standards
• Severe self-criticism
• Lack of overall creativity
• Decreased motivation
• Second-guessing yourself
• Indecisiveness

What Causes Writer’s Block?

There are a number of different theories on the subject.

Common causes of writer’s block:

• Procrastination
• Unprocessed emotion

Some say that it’s simply a matter of fear: we’re afraid of not being good enough, or of not living up to our own standards.

Others believe that it’s a form of self-sabotage, an unconscious way of protecting ourselves from failure. Your resistance might stem from a habit of procrastination, lack of motivation, or lack of clarity.

Whatever the cause, creative block can be a very real and very frustrating experience.

The good news is that there are ways to overcome it.

How To Overcome Writer’s Block: The Complete System

Right here at the beginning, I want to go over the complete Writer’s Block Destroyer System.

Here is the system:

• Identify the Type of Writer’s Block (Hint: There are at least 6 different types)
• Apply the Correct Solution
• Test the Effect
• Apply 20 Alternate Strategies

Each step in the process is incredibly important.

If you skip a step, you might end up unintentionally lumping new resistance on top of your existing writer’s block.

Nobody’s want’s that.

Step 1: Identify The Type of Writer’s Block

When you want to know how to overcome writer’s block, the first thing you need to know is the type of writer’s block.

For a long time, I thought there was only ONE type of writer’s block.

After all, we don’t say “writer’s blocks” (plural)—mostly because it sounds really weird. But what if I told you that there were more than one type of writer’s block?

What if not everyone experienced the exact same type of block? What if not every block you experienced was the same?

There are 6 main types of writer’s block:

• Too many ideas

Character Confusion

• What Happens Next

Emotional Blockage

Let’s quickly deconstruct these 6 types of blocks.

Identifying the correct type of block is the first step in the system. If you don’t know what type of resistance you’re facing, then you might be trying to fix the wrong problem.

Usually, in vain.

As you read about each of the six types of writer’s block, see if you can remember times when you might have experienced them.

I know I have .

One of the two most common types of writer’s block is not having any ideas.

It can be paralyzing, but it need not be for long. This usually happens when a writer is trying to come up with a story or article to write. It’s when you struggle to grasp even the first thread of creativity.

The writer stares into space, groping for something, anything that might produce a strong, workable idea.

Too Many Ideas

The other most common type, this block is the opposite of the first block. In this form of resistence, a writer is overwhelmed with story ideas.

They have too many options and succumb to selection paralysis.

They ask themselves, “What idea should I choose? I like all 200 of them!”

Sometimes writers get blocked in the middle of a story.

This can happen for a variety of reasons, but one common reason is that the writer loses track of the essence of the character.

They don’t know how a character will react to specific story events. 

What Happens Next?

A related block is not knowing how the story itself will proceed. This is the “What happens next?” block.

A nonfiction or fiction writer can face this form of resistance.

Even a blogger might not know how to extend a 500-word article into a 1,500-word blog post.

All too often, there is an emotional reason behind the block.

The reason, while possibly related to the story, usually involves non-story events, experiences, and people. The writer is blocked due to unresolved emotions in their personal life.

I actually think this is the most common form of writer’s block.

 Pain Point

Sometimes the subject matter or plot point in the story is so personal that he writer cannot go on.

This could be related to a broken relationship, death, violence, loss, or something altogether different. The main focus of this type of block is that the writer connects on a deep level with the pain of the story.

The pain prevents the writer from moving forward with the story or piece of content.

Step 2: Apply the Correct Solution

Now that you have identified the type of writer’s block, it’s time to apply the solution.

“I don’t have writer’s block. I have writer’s hurdles and I jump them every time I sit down at the keyboard.”—Christopher Kokoski

There are specific, effective responses to each different type.

The truth is, you probably do have an idea. Lots of them. You just don’t know it.

Here are a few things you can try. Read the back cover blurbs of 20 published novels or nonfiction books. You can go to the library, a bookstore, or just browse Amazon.com.

Brainstorm how you could combine any two or three of those ideas, or take a different slant on them:

• Twilight and Bourne Identity
• The Longest Ride and Harry Potte r
• A biography of Leonardo DaVinci and The Rock

Next, write down five of your strongest beliefs about life (i.e., people are good, love always prevails, etc) and five things that you hate (i.e. violence against animals, abuse of children, diseases, etc).

Now, consider a character or perspective who believed the very opposite of you.

What kind of character would that be? How did they come to hold those polar opposite views? Ask, “What if?” What if a kid wanted to kidnap his parents and was right? What if your boyfriend was a serial killer? What if zombies were super-intelligent?

The problem here is with prioritizing your ideas.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Which story or idea do I feel strongest about?
• Which story or idea has the most commercial appeal?
• Which story lends itself to the most conflict, drama, or character change?
• Which story or idea can be easily summed up in a sentence or two?

Also, poll friends and family or your social media followers on which idea sounds best. Get feedback and then go with your gut.

This type of writer’s block usually impacts fiction authors (novels, short stories, screenplays, or fanfiction).

The solution is to g o back to the basics of character creation.

What is the character’s biggest goal? Biggest fear? How have they reacted to previous story events? What is their internal conflict that relates to the external story conflict?

What can they do to resolve both conflicts?

What would any other person do? Look at their experiences, backstory, and personality. What is the next logical step or action? Or, conversely, what would make things worse?

Have the character do that. It’s probably more interesting.

Go back to the basics of story or idea creation.

For nonfiction, ask yourself:

• What is the question I’m wanting to answer?
• What’s another context? (Different price, different season, different speed, different use case?)
• What else does the reader want to know?
• What else does the reason need to know?
• When does XYZ happen?
• Where does XYZ happen?
• Why does XYZ happen?

For fiction, ask yourself:

• What is the main conflict?
• What is the main goal?
• What options haven’t the characters tried to resolve the conflict or solve the goal?
• What has the antagonist been up to?
• Have they been passive or actively working against the protagonist(s).
• What could they do next to stop, hinder, or destroy the protagonists?
• What bad thing could happen?
• What could go terribly wrong?
• W hat could be even worse?

Ask and answer these types of questions and you will likely be on your way to happy writing.

First, i dentify the emotion that is blocking you.

Do an emotional scan of your body, especially for anger, anxiety, and sadness (or depression). These three feelings often challenge people in general.

Once identified, embrace and express the feeling in healthy ways.

Talk to someone, meditate, pray. The key is awareness and compassionate expression. Once the emotion is naturally released, you will often be able to write.

Usually, this block begins to dissolves as soon as you acknowledge the pain. Then, it’s all about choosing to process and push through the discomfort so you write.

One note: most great stories and pieces of content feel uncomfortable to write.

The discomfort is a good sign that you are delving into the depths of the theme and character change. If you discover any unresolved pain from the past, try the emotional blockage solutions.

Step 3: Test the Effect

You know the solution worked when you can get back to writing.

You typically feel better, lighter, and more relaxed. Other times, you might feel excited to get back to the story, essay, or blog post. You might have intense motivation.

The litmus test is, Can you write?

If you find that you still feel blocked, it’s time to throw one of the next 20 strategies at your creative resistence.

Step 4: Try 20 Alternate Strategies To Overcome Writer’s Block

How to overcome writer’s block?

Here are a collection of other solutions you can use to dissolve writer’s block forever. Experiment with them. See which ones work best for you or for the particular block you are currently facing.

Check out these 20 alternate writer’s block cures:

• Move your body —Science is clear that changing our body changes our mood. Go for a walk, do yoga, lift weights, dand ance.
• Get creative —Try sketching the next scene for your story , article, or essay.
• Skip the scene —Write a later scene or section and come back to the current one later.
• Write about the block —Write anything. Just get your pen, pencil, or keyboard fingers moving.
• Roleplay —Act out the scene. Be all the characters. 
• Get silly —Be goofy. Get into a kid’s frame of mind. They are creative geniuses. 
• Get bored —Boredom is another scientifically-based method of triggering genius-level creativity.
• Get happy —Research shows that happiness is the breeding group of insight and innovation.
• Write in a blue room —The color blue is associated with a playful, creative mind.
• Make a mess —Studies have concluded that people who work in a messy environment come up with more creative ideas.
• Relax and don’t rush yourself —Trying to will yourself into creativity often backfires brilliantly.
• Surround yourself with inspiration —Put up pictures. Talk to fascinating people.
• Use the copy and paste method —Manually re-write your favorite poem, long quote, or page from a novel (just don’t publish it).
• Read about something random —Fill your mind with lots of possible connection points. Your creative brain can merge dissperate ideas into something fresh and exciting.
• Challenge your brain —Work on a puzzle. Write something hard. Give yourself a challenge that wakes up your muse.
• Buy a plant —Research shows that people who live and work in natural environments become more creative.
• Take a cat nap —Sometimes sleep revitalizes a sluggish brain.
• Do something new —Novel experiences are more likely to get you into the flow state of creativity.
• Turn on ambient noise —Soft background noise invites creative thinking.
• Use automatic creativity tools —Take advantage of technology to break free of writer’s block. You can consider these your writer’s block help generators.

Right now, my two favorite writer’s block help generators are:

• Jasper AI Writer
• Nuance Dragon Speech to Text Software

Step 5: Retest the Results 

Repeat the earlier step.

Odds are, if you have made it this far through the system, you are well on your way to writing your story , essay, report, or article.

That’s how you overcome writer’s block.

Remember: the only success that counts is, Are you writing ? If so, that’s winning.

If you’re looking for an instant cure to writer’s block, check out this video:

How Long Does Writer’s Block Last?

Writer’s block can last a few minutes or a few years.

The length of writer’s block is often determined by the depth and severity of the cause, whether or not you face the cause, and how you attempt to resolve the cause.

Writer’s block will last longer if you ignore the cause.

Your resistance will also go on and on if you do not correctly identity the right type of blockage and apply the correct solution.

On the flip side, your creative speedbump can be over in a matter of minutes or days if you go through the Destroyer System.

This Is How Not To Overcome Writer’s Block

Here are five things NOT to do when you’re struggling to write:

• Watch TV —It may seem like a good way to take a break, but watching TV will only make it harder to focus when you sit down to write again.
• Play video games —Like TV, video games can be a major distraction. If you’re trying to overcome writer’s block, it’s best to avoid them altogether.
• Scroll through social media —Social media can be a huge time suck. If you find yourself scrolling through Twitter or Instagram when you should be writing, close the app and focus on your work.
• Wait for inspiration —Inspiration is great, but it’s not always reliable. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is just sit down and write.
• Make excuses for yourself —When we give ourselves permission to remain blocked, we turn our creative energies against our own goals and dreams. It’s basically creative self-sabotage.

Final Thoughts: How To Overcome Writer’s Block

The bottom line is that you overcome writer’s block by facing and freeing the underlying cause of your creative resistance.

Once you let go of what’s holding you back, you’ll be unstoppable.

Related posts:

• How To Write Like Danielle Steel (10 Ways)
• What Is Shadow Writing? (Ultimate Guide for Beginners)
• 20 Best YouTube Channels for Writers
• The Best Thesaurus for Writers
• How To Overcome Laziness in Writing (10 Helpful Tips)

American Psychological Association (Journal of Creative Behavior) Academia.edu

• Literacy Tips

30 Ways To Overcome Writer’s Block

Everyone struggles with writer’s block from time to time. The hardest part is when you have a tight deadline looming on you, and all you have is a blank paper staring back at you. Writer’s block is every writer’s nightmare. The good news is that we have found over 30 proven ways to overcome writer’s block and to help you get back on track with your writing. 

What is Writer’s Block?

The dictionary definition of writer’s block is that it is a condition where you are unable to think of what to write or how to write it down ( Cambridge Dictionary ). Whether you’re writing an essay for school or a creative piece for pleasure, writer’s block can happen at any time. There are, of course, some scenarios that make writer’s block worse. One example is when you have just thought of a really cool idea, but it isn’t fully formed yet. When an idea isn’t completely clear, it can make it really hard for you to write it down on paper. This is where writer’s block comes in and makes life harder for you! 

Another scenario is when you want everything to be perfect before you write it down. When you focus on perfection too much, it’s near impossible to write anything down. You need the opening line to be perfect, character names, setting and so on. All these details can be overwhelming especially when you’re aiming for perfection. That’s why it’s always important to remember that your story can have many drafts and versions of it. You don’t have to hit publish on the very first draft of your story – keep editing it until you’re happy with it!

So, how do we overcome writer’s block and get our writing back on track? It’s actually not that difficult at all. Especially with these 30 techniques for overcoming writer’s block.

Check out this master list of 105 creative writing exercises to help you beat writer’s block for good!

Dealing With Writer’s Block in 30 Ways

Here are 30 ways to get around writer’s block and beat it:

• Stick to a routine: Create a writing routine for yourself. This means that you should ideally set aside some time every day to focus on your writing. You don’t have to write a long essay every day. Short pieces of poetry or a funny little story will do. Just develop a writing routine and stick to it. And soon your mind will be ready and charged to start writing some real stuff down. 
• Don’t start at the beginning: The beginning can be boring. Especially when you just thought of a really cool fight scene that you can write about. One way to keep your writing moving along is to start with the cool scenes first. The scenes that you’’ enjoy writing about. Then you can deal with the boring parts of the story another day when you feel more in the mood to write. 
• Write some messy words: Achieve the opposite of perfection. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar or whether a sentence makes sense or not. Just get some words down – Even if it’s a load of gibberish. You can worry about making sense of them later on. 
• Use bullet points: You just had the greatest idea ever. Instead of trying to write the whole story down, quickly jot down the main points of this idea. Develop your idea and plan it out any way you like. Then when it comes to writing your story or novel , you’ll have a better understanding of it.
• Write something else: You might not feel like continuing that short story about cats. But that doesn’t mean you can’t write at all. Try writing something else entirely like a haiku or starting a new short story about dinosaurs instead. After a while, you might be in the mood to continue writing that cat story that you left for a while.  
• Switch your writing tools: Switching your writing tools can be a great way to ignite your writing again. If you’ve been using a pen and paper for too long, try switching to a word document on your computer. Alternatively, you might want to use a specialised writing tool like Imagine Forest to bring back the fun in writing!
• Change your location: Writing for hours or days in your bedroom can get a little tiring and stuffy. Try switching up your writing location when you’re getting frustrated. For example go write in your kitchen, your garden or even at the park. Changing writing locations can bring back life to your writing and help you deal with writer’s block.
• Do non-writing activities: Writing can start feeling like a chore when you write for too long. It’s a good idea to balance your writing with some non-writing activities, like playing sports, cooking, going out, listening to music and so forth. After taking a well-earned break from writing you should feel more enthusiastic when you come back.
• Take a visual approach: Words, words and more words. It can be tiresome looking at letters and words all day long. Break the cycle by drawing out your scenes, creating brainstorms or sketching out your characters. Storyboarding can also be a great visual activity for writers.
• Determine the root cause: Think about why you have writer’s block in the first place. Some common reasons include lack of inspiration, feeling tired, not knowing how to develop your story or just feeling pressure from other writers. Write your feelings and concerns down on a piece of paper. And then think of possible ways to fix these problems. For example, if you feel tired, then you might want to take a break from your writing. Alternatively, if it’s a lack of inspiration, then focus on finding inspiration through writing prompts or these activities on how to come up with ideas . 
• Change your persona: Instead of writing like yourself, imagine how it would be to write if you were a famous writer like Dr. Seuss or Roald Dahl . If being another writer is difficult, then pretend to be another famous character or celebrity. If you were Elsa from Frozen, how would she write a story? What words would she use and what would she write about? This activity is a great way to overcome writer’s block in kids or young writers especially. 
• Set yourself a challenge: After a while, writing can almost feel like a chore that you just have to do. But don’t let this become a blocker for your writing. Keep writing fun by setting yourself daily writing challenges and exercises . For example, aim to include a certain word or phase in your next story or make sure that you include a famous quote somewhere. Alternatively, you must just want to set yourself daily word count goals, where you aim to write a certain amount each day, such as 100 words a day or 500 words in a week.
• Mix ideas from a range of places: Sometimes, wanting to be unique and original can cause writer’s block. In this case, why not take a bunch of ideas that already exist and mix them up to create a mega story. Take stuff from a YouTube video you recently saw and mix it up with something that happened to you in real-life to create a funny story that can end up being a masterpiece. 
• Eliminate Distractions: Get rid of the internet, mobile phones, and any TV shows playing in the background and focus entirely on your writing. All you really need is a pen, paper and your fully focused mind to start writing. 
• Create a writing space: Writing on your bed or on the floor can be uncomfortable and distracting. It’s important to have a dedicated writing space somewhere in your house, like an office or a desk in your bedroom, where you can sit comfortably with all your writing materials in one place. Not only does this make it easy when you need something like your ideas journal or notebooks, but it’s also a good way to get rid of distractions. 
• Read a book: When you’re stuck on how to write a story or on getting ideas, reading a book is possibly the best idea to get rid of this type of writer’s block. Reading not only expands your vocabulary but also helps you understand how real books are written and laid out. Helping you to become a better writer. 
• Join a writing community: Write with others, share your ideas and work together to become better writers. Writing communities like Imagine Forest, are a great way to test your story ideas, get feedback and talk to other writers about your struggles. 
• Sleep on it: Good sleep is important for many activities including writing. When you’re tired your brain loses focus, making writing even more difficult than it has to be. A good night’s sleep is always recommended if you’re feeling tired or not in the mood to write. 
• Get some fresh air: Go out for a walk and get your mind off the writing. Stretch your legs and do a little work-out to get the blood pumping. You should feel refreshed and ready to start writing again when you return.
• Let your mind takeover: Forget writing your story and write down your thoughts at the moment. Are you feeling angry, upset, or bored? Write it down and keep writing it down until you feel some inspiration or motivation to write your story again. 
• Deny the writer’s block: Some writers believe that writer’s block is a myth . Whether it’s a real condition or not, it doesn’t matter. The point is that denying the writer’s block can be a good motivation to start writing again. Just remember, there’s always something to write about. You can rewrite, free write, write from different perspectives, write poems, sentences, funny words and anything else you like. With so much to write about – Is there really such a thing as writer’s block? 
• Do other creative activities: Step away from writing and do something else creative. You can make your own finger puppets, do some papercraft, paint a picture, draw something, keep a bullet journal – Anything to get those creative juices flowing again. Eventually, you’ll be able to beat writer’s block and get writing again. 
• Write early in the morning: Your brain is just waking up, probably from a dream. That’s normally the perfect time for inspiration to strike. Keep a notebook handy by your bed and start writing as soon as you wake up or even in the middle of the night if you can’t sleep. 
• Do some research: Sometimes with writer’s block, the problem is not the writing but it’s the research. You either don’t know much about your idea or about something in your story, such as the setting or characters. Try researching the year your story is set in or stories that are similar to your idea and making notes. This activity is really handy in developing your story and making sure that you’re headed in the right direction. 
• Make a list: The worst thing about writer’s block is that you feel that valuable time is being wasted. Make your time matter by creating a list of things to do or research. A good technique is to break the task of writing a story down into loads of mini-tasks to complete within deadlines. For example, writing the opening line, researching settings, creating character backstories, developing a plot twist and so on. 
• Keep an ideas journal: Create a “Go-To” journal or folder with all your ideas, writing prompts, quotes and inspirational material in one place. Whenever you don’t feel like writing or have lost inspiration, you can look through your personal ideas journal for the help you need. 
• Participate in Contests: Contests or online writing challenges are a great way to give you some structure when it comes to writing. They can also offer inspiration and motivation in the form of a deadline.
• Set a Timer: Set a timer for about 15 to 20 minutes and then write non-stop everything that comes to mind. After the time is up, take a break for 2 minutes and set another time for 15 to 20 minutes. After three or four sessions you should feel more inspired and ready to write something more important. 
• Re-read your old pieces of writing: Look through your old pieces of writing and stories. Take note of all the things you liked about these pieces and all the things you would improve. You could even try re-writing one of your old pieces and making it better by improving on all the things you disliked about it. 
• Write to your friend: Forget writing a story for the mass market or a wide audience. The pressure can be too much. Instead, think about a close friend or a family member and write a story just for them. Think about what they would enjoy reading, what makes them laugh and create a story dedicated to them. 
• Follow your passions: Write about something you really enjoy doing or something you really care about. Do you care about global warming, crime, and animal rights? Use this passion and put it into your stories. Remember, writing gives you the opportunity to change the world and make a difference. It’s more than just a few words on a paper, you could impact millions of lives. 

There’s no magic cure to writer’s block. In the end, you’ll have to find your own way of dealing with writer’s block and finding ways to motivate yourself. Let us know your techniques on how to overcome writer’s block in the comments below. 

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

Related Posts

Comments loading...

Writer’s block—wanting to write and not writing—is a persistent problem that every writer (yes, every writer, even Stephen King ) deals with. At its simplest, it manifests as a lack of ideas. What do I write about? At its most pernicious, writer’s block can convince you that you lack what it takes to be a writer. We’re here to tell you: that’s simply not true.

Writer’s block is certainly a tough problem to solve. If we all knew how to get rid of writer’s block, the world would be overflowing with books, completed effortlessly and ahead of schedule.

Nonetheless, writer’s block doesn’t have to be chronic, or debilitating. In this article, we’ll look deeply into what causes writer’s block, and describe how to overcome writer’s block—in whatever way it might be manifesting in your writing. But first, what is writer’s block?

What is Writer’s Block?

What is writer’s block? It manifests in different ways in different writers. It might feel like you’re turning on a faucet, but the water has run out; it might feel like you’re hitting your head against a brick wall, jostling language, waiting for the words to arrive.

No matter how it manifests, all strains and variants of writer’s block share the same issue: a desire to write, and an inability to do so.

More specifically, it’s an inability to get into the flow of writing . The moment you set your pen tip to paper (or fingers to keyboard), your brain is plagued with questions, concerns, distractions. What do I write about? I don’t know how to write that. Where do I start? That wouldn’t make sense. Is this something I would write? I should really do the laundry first.

What causes writer’s block, and how do you staunch the flow of intrusive thoughts? Let’s dive deeper.

Check Out Our Online Writing Courses!

Writing the Body: A Nonfiction Craft Seminar

with Margo Steines

April 9th, 2024

The weird and wild body is a rich site of exploration in creative nonfiction. Explore the questions, stories, and lessons your body holds in this seminar with Margo Steines.

Write Your Picture Book!

with Kelly Bingham

April 10th, 2024

Picture books have changed greatly over the last few decades, and the market is wide open for fresh ideas. Join us in this six-week intensive where we’ll take that idea of yours and turn it into a manuscript!

Tiny and True: Creating Flash Essays with Mindfulness

with Susan Barr-Toman

April 17th, 2024

How do you tell the full truth in under 1,000 words? Learn the art of flash essays and write nuggets of wisdom in this tiny essay class.

A Poet’s Calling Card: Writing and Composing a Chapbook

with Caitlin Scarano

The poetry chapbook gives poets the chance to make a small, artful collection around a poetic obsession. Learn how to craft yours in this 8 week chapbook intensive.

Plot Your Novel

with Jack Smith

Over eight weeks, you'll develop a solid basis in the fictional elements—protagonist, setting, secondary characters, point of view, plot, and theme—while you develop the outline of your novel. You'll receive feedback at all stages from your fellow writers and your instructor.

What Causes Writer’s Block

Every writer experiences different roadblocks on their writing journey. Some of those roadblocks are external: rejections from literary journals, disagreements with book publishers, a lack of time and resources, and the like.

However, far more of those roadblocks are internal: self-doubt, perfectionism, low motivation, etc. The internal roadblocks we face around our writing practice are what cause writer’s block.

Our internal roadblocks in our writing practice—self-doubt, perfectionism, low motivation—are what cause writer’s block.

In writer’s block, something internal dams the flow of creativity. Our internal worlds shape how we access our creativity , so getting rid of writer’s block means working through whatever psychological barriers are inhibiting us.

The secret to a successful writing habit is writing every day, without inhibition or prescriptive judgments. So, to overcome writer’s block, we need to work towards a productive writing mentality.

6 Manifestations of Writer’s Block

Below are six common types of writer’s block, broken down one by one. For each type, I give advice I’ve collected and experimented with over the years on how to cure writer’s block.

Here’s what to do when…

1. Writer’s block: You feel motivated but uncreative

Often, feeling boxed in mentally is the result of feeling boxed in physically. When we’re confined to the same familiar spaces, our brains fall into repetition, and we create habits of stasis rather than habits of imagination. You need something to kickstart that creative flow.

Sometimes, the solution is to simply daydream.

Sometimes, the solution is to simply daydream. What happens if you spend an hour staring at the ceiling or out the window—what worlds can you come up with when undisturbed from technology or other people?

Try putting yourself in new, unfamiliar spaces.

Other times, you might need to kick your brain in action by putting yourself in new, unfamiliar spaces. Maybe find a new space to write: a hidden park bench, the back of a library, your best friend’s balcony, anywhere.

2. Writer’s block: You feel creative but have no motivation

Sometimes the opposite is true: you can dream up new stories, worlds, and metaphors, but you can’t seem to put them on the page. Why won’t the words come out?

Create an environment and schedule conducive to writing.

This is where creating a writing habit becomes useful. We need to train our brains to write by creating an environment and schedule conducive to writing. If you can make yourself sit in the same space at the same time every day, you will encourage your creative motivation through sheer force of repetition.

Where do you feel most creative? It may be at your desk or in the kitchen; it may also be in the bathtub, on your roof, or squirreled away in the closet. Find where you’re most creative, and write there frequently.

3. Writer’s block: Self-doubt is getting in the way

For some people, overcoming writer’s block means overcoming the voice of self-doubt. Self-doubt is only natural: when we write, we’re creating new worlds and human beings. That’s a tall order, and it can be easy to doubt that you’re writing “the right way.”

Self-doubt is a natural response to writing, but it doesn’t have to inhibit your creative flow.

Self-doubt is a natural response to the writing process, but it doesn’t have to inhibit your creative flow. Otherwise, you end up justifying your own self-doubt, which prevents you from writing the next Pulitzer Prize-winning book.

This is one of the hardest writer’s blocks to work through, but you’re not alone in feeling it. Many successful authors have their fair share of self-doubt. John Steinbeck, for example, wrote that he was “assailed by [his] own ignorance and inability” while writing The Grapes of Wrath —that great American novel which did win a Pulitzer.

Often, self-doubters will assume their work will be meaningless before it even reaches the page. If you’re experiencing a bout of writer’s block and doubt your ability to create, try to hold back that judgment. Allow yourself to write, even if that writing doesn’t meet your standards: you can always edit later, and the act of creation is the most important thing a writer can commit to. Think of it this way: every word you write brings you a word closer to the Nobel prize.

4. Writer’s block: You’re out of ideas

You want to write, you’re feeling creative, and you have time to sit at your desk and produce something. There’s only one problem: what do you write about?

First, ask yourself this: are you struggling to come up with ideas at all, or are you dismissing every idea you come up with? If it’s the first one, then prompt generators are your best friend. Hit refresh as many times as you want, add or subtract certain requirements, and have fun in the sandbox of language. You won’t be out of ideas for long!

You might also find writing exercises, like the ones in this article on literary devices , useful for juicing your creativity.

If it’s the second problem, then you might need to take a step back and actually slow your thoughts down . You might be rushing through ideas too quickly, and rather than finding your groove and setting words on the page, your thoughts are spinning like tires in a ditch.

This is your reminder, then: slow down, chew through your thoughts slowly, and imagine yourself inside of your ideas. You might find something unique or surprising, and realize that everything you need as a writer is already inside of you.

5. Writer’s block: You’re too exhausted to write

Let’s face it: this world was not built for writers. Very few of us have the luxury of dedicating our entire lives to literature: we have jobs to work, bills to pay, kids to raise, and thousands of decisions to make. When we find time to sit at the writing desk, we don’t always have the energy to write.

Try to block out some time, even just 5 minutes, to journal or dream on the page before going to sleep.

Our personal and professional lives are often what causes writer’s block. If this is the case, but you really want to write, then take a step back and focus on your needs first. Try to block out some time, even just 5 minutes, to journal or dream on the page before going to sleep. Over time, this habit will start to produce the writing you want to create.

Overcoming writer’s block usually begins with habits, and habits can overcome even the fatigue of day-to-day life. Be gentle with yourself, but be diligent!

6. Writer’s block: You aren’t sure what causes writer’s block for you

If all writers knew the reason they couldn’t write, then they’d know how to cure writer’s block. Sadly, this isn’t the case. It might take a couple of weeks to diagnose yourself with writer’s block, and it might take a couple more weeks after that to figure out the block. This is something that, sooner or later, most writers grapple with.

If you’ve made it this far into the article and you’re not sure what’s causing your block, try the following. Grab an empty sheet of paper and write the words “I can’t write because…” and then finish the sentence. Jot down as many reasons as you want, including false reasons, made up scenarios, and creative fantasies. If you can’t write because you’ve been abducted by aliens, write it down—and, consider what that could be a metaphor for.

Then, write another sentence: “I want to write because…” and do the same thing. Write because you want to win an Edgar Award, or because you want to heal from something emotional, or because you want your book read in high school English classes.

Finally, write this: “I will write because…” and go from there. I will write because I can. I will write because I’m good at writing. I will write because I’m bad at writing. I will write because I want to, and that’s all the reasoning I need.

This is an exercise in self-dialogue, which helps us navigate our emotions through the sheer act of creation. Instead of overcoming a block in the flow of language, try diverting the river, see where it leads you.

How to Get Rid of Writer’s Block: Make Writing a Habit

Ultimately, working through writer’s block is about developing practices that make writing a habit—on good days, bad days, and everything in between. What this looks like is completely up to you and what will really work in your case. Start experimenting!

Overcoming Writer’s Block Starts with Experimentation

Experiment with where, when, and how you write.

Especially for newer writers, the best thing you can do is understand what writing habits are best for you. Experiment with where, when, and how you write to find a place and style of writing that consistently lets you get words onto the page.

Your next story or poem might be best written on a typewriter. It might also be best written while staring at your phone, tucked in bed at 1 in the morning. That’s not to promote unhealthy sleeping habits, only to suggest that “real writing” can happen in any space.

Maybe you’re too tired to write when you finish work at night. Try writing in the morning! Maybe your laptop keeps dragging you onto Twitter. Buy a notebook! Maybe writing feels boring and isolating. Try it in a coffee shop!

Another great way to get the words flowing is to join a writers group. Depending on where you live, you might find writing groups on sites like Meetup or Eventbrite. If all else fails, check your local library.

Clear away any preconceived notions of what “writing” looks like, and find what will make your writing process work for you. If you try to force yourself to write in one specific way, you might be stifling your creativity and preventing ideas from coming naturally.

Consistent Creative Motivation Comes from Creative Habits

Overcoming writer’s block means setting the words down, no matter how great, terrible, logical, or nonsensical they are. The most successful writers have learned how to get rid of writer’s block by experimenting with when, where, and how they write, found the processes that best suit their writing needs, and developed a rock-solid writing habit .

The most successful writers have found the writing processes that work best for them, and developed a rock-solid writing habit .

Stephen King writes 10 pages each day, even on weekends and holidays. Haruki Murakami runs a 5K to clear his mind. Allegedly, Agatha Christie liked to sit in the bathtub, eating apples and looking at crime scene photographs, especially when she was out of ideas. The lengths writers go to to write!

How to Stop Writer’s Block Before it Starts

Two practices are critical for both preventing and overcoming writer’s block: productive self-talk, and forming a writing habit.

Can writer’s block be prevented? Not entirely, but there are many things you can do to stave off a wave of blank pages. Each of the writer’s block exercises we’ll be recommending below involve at least one of the following two things:

• Productive self-talk, and
• Forming a writing habit.

These practices are critical. Even if you don’t have writer’s block, you should incorporate them both into your writing life.

Positive self-talk allows us to transcribe our emotional worlds onto the paper: if we believe in ourselves and trust in our feelings, then we can shut out the world and trust our fingers to create something beautiful.

And if we put ourselves in a certain place—both physically and mentally—we can “ Pavlov ” ourselves into being creative during certain parts of the day.

We have to coax our creativity out, in the same way you might coax a cat out from under the bed. Be patient, kind, and habitual; eventually, creativity will curl up in our laps.

Overcoming Writer’s Block: Join a Writing Community

Although writers are often solitary creatures, writing thrives best with community support . Involve some trusted writers into your creative habits: join our Facebook group or sign up for a creative writing class with our award-winning instructors. (We even have a course that’s all about juicing your creativity with daily writing prompts.) Let’s beat writer’s block together!

Sean Glatch

[…] and we must have all faced what is commonly known as Writer’s Block, namely times when we feel totally uninspired and utterly bereft of ideas. This is indeed a terrible feeling, the desperate state of intellectual thirst and hunger in which […]

[…] Here’s a pretty good article to check out. […]

“Imagine yourself inside of your ideas” I love this advice. Thanks for the links in #4– “prompt generator” and “literary devices.” I appreciate your motivation and techniques to CREATE A WRITING HABIT! —that’s my personal bugaboo. Great article to bookmark!

Keeping up with a writing habit is definitely my biggest challenge as well. Thanks, Julia!

The tortured writer depicted at the start of this article could be a doppelgänger for someone I know…

I feel so seen to know there’s a writer’s block from being too exhausted to write. That’s the story of my life. Thanks so much for the tips!

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Will You Write Me an Essay?

Students turn to us not only with the request, "Please, write my essay for me." From the moment we hear your call, homework is no longer an issue. You can count on our instant assistance with all essay writing stages. Just to let you know, our essay writers do all the work related to writing, starting with researching a topic and ending with formatting and editing the completed paper. We can help you choose the right topic, do in-depth research, choose the best up-to-date sources, and finally compose a brilliant piece to your instructions. Choose the formatting style for your paper (MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, or Harvard), and we will make all of your footnotes, running heads, and quotations shine.

Our professional essay writer can help you with any type of assignment, whether it is an essay, research paper, term paper, biography, dissertation, review, course work, or any other kind of writing. Besides, there is an option to get help with your homework assignments. We help complete tasks on Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Geography, Maths, Physics, and other disciplines. Our authors produce all types of papers for all degree levels.

Finished Papers

Write My Essay Service - Working to Help You

Do you want to have more free time for personal development and fun? Or are you confused with your professor's directions? Whatever your reason for coming to us is, you are welcome! We are a legitimate professional writing service with student-friendly prices and with an aim to help you achieve academic excellence. To get an A on your next assignment simply place an order or contact our 24/7 support team.

• Admission/Application Essay
• Annotated Bibliography
• Argumentative Essay
• Book Report Review
• Dissertation

Finished Papers

Finished Papers

Customer Reviews

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. Our support team will be more than willing to assist you.

You are going to request writer Estevan Chikelu to work on your order. We will notify the writer and ask them to check your order details at their earliest convenience.

The writer might be currently busy with other orders, but if they are available, they will offer their bid for your job. If the writer is currently unable to take your order, you may select another one at any time.

Please place your order to request this writer

Orders of are accepted for more complex assignment types only (e.g. Dissertation, Thesis, Term paper, etc.). Special conditions are applied to such orders. That is why please kindly choose a proper type of your assignment.

Student Feedback on Our Paper Writers

Niamh Chamberlain

Advertisement

The best new science fiction books of April 2024

There’s an abundance of exciting new science fiction out in April, by writers including The Three-Body Problem author Cixin Liu, Douglas Preston and Lionel Shriver

By Alison Flood

1 April 2024

The last remaining free city of the Forever Desert has been besieged for centuries in The Truth of the Aleke

Shutterstock / Liu zishan

There are some huge names with new works out this month: Cixin Liu and Ann Leckie both have collections of shorter writing to peruse, plus there’s a dystopic future from the award-winning Téa Obreht and a world where woolly mammoths have been brought back from the bestselling Douglas Preston. I also love the sound of Scott Alexander Howard’s debut The Other Valley , set in a town where its past and future versions exist in the next valleys over, and of Sofia Samatar’s space adventure The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain . So much to read, so little time…

A View from the Stars by Cixin Liu

This is a collection of short works from Liu, the sci-fi author of the moment thanks to Netflix’s new adaptation of The Three-Body Problem , ranging from essays and interviews to short fiction. I love this snippet from an essay about sci-fi fans, in which he calls us “mysterious aliens in the crowd”, who “jump like fleas from future to past and back again, and float like clouds of gas between nebulae; in a flash, we can reach the edge of the universe, or tunnel into a quark, or swim within a star-core”. Aren’t we lucky to have such worlds available to us on our shelves?

3 Body Problem review: Cixin Liu's masterpiece arrives on Netflix

Cixin Liu's novel The Three-Body Problem has been turned into an eight-part series for Netflix by the Game of Thrones team. There is much to admire so far, but will the adaptation stay on track, wonders Bethan Ackerley

Lake of Souls by Ann Leckie

Leckie is a must-read writer for me, and this is the first complete collection of her short fiction, ranging across science fiction and fantasy. On the sci-fi side, we will be able to dip back into the Imperial Radch universe, and we are also promised that we’ll “learn the secrets of the mysterious Lake of Souls” in a brand-new novelette.

The Morningside by Téa Obreht

In a catastrophic version of the future, an 11-year-old girl arrives with her mother at The Morningside, once a luxury high-rise, now another crumbling part of Island City, which is half-underwater. Obreht won the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2011 for her debut, The Tiger’s Wife .

The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain by Sofia Samatar

Samatar won all sorts of prizes for her first novel, A Stranger in Olondria . Her latest sounds really intriguing, following the story of a boy who has grown up condemned to work in the bowels of a mining ship among the stars, whose life changes when he is given the chance to be educated at the ship’s university.

A boy grows up working in a mining ship among the stars in The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain

D-Keine/Getty Images

Extinction by Douglas Preston

This is set in a valley in the Rockies, where guests at a luxury resort can see woolly mammoths, giant ground sloths and Irish elk brought back from extinction by genetic manipulation. But then a string of killings kicks off, and a pair of investigators must find out what’s really going on. This looks Jurassic Park -esque and seems like lots of fun. And if you want more mammoth-related reading, try my colleague Michael Le Page’s excellent explainer about why they won’t be back any time soon.

Mania by Lionel Shriver

The award-winning author of We Need to Talk About Kevin brings her thoughts about so-called “culture wars” to bear on her fiction, imagining a world where a “Mental Parity Movement” is in the ascendent, and “the worst thing you can call someone is ‘stupid’”.

The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard

This speculative novel is set in a town where, to the east, lies the same town but 20 years ahead in time and, to the west, the same town but 20 years behind, repeating endlessly across the wilderness. The only border crossings allowed are for “mourning tours”, in which the dead can be seen in towns where they are still alive. Odile, who is 16, is set for a seat on the Conseil, where she will be able to decree who gets to travel across borders. I love the sound of this.

The best new science fiction books of March 2024

With a new Adrian Tchaikovsky, Mars-set romance from Natasha Pulley and a high-concept thriller from Stuart Turton due to hit shelves, there is plenty of great new science fiction to be reading in March

What If… Loki was Worthy? by Madeleine Roux

Many will question whether the Marvel superhero stories are really science fiction, but I’m leaning into the multiversal aspect here to include this, as it sounds like it could be a bit of fun. It’s the first in a new series that reimagines the origins of some of the biggest heroes: here, Thor died protecting Earth from one of Loki’s pranks and, exiled on our planet, the Norse trickster god is now dealing with the consequences.

The Truth of the Aleke by Moses Ose Utomi

The second book in the Forever Desert series is set 500 years after The Lies of the Ajungo , following a junior peacekeeper in the last remaining free city of the Forever Desert, which has been besieged for centuries. It was actually out in March, but I missed it then, so I’m bringing it to you now as it was tipped as a title to watch this year by our science fiction contributor Sally Adee.

Anomaly by Andrej Nikolaidis, translated by Will Firth

It is New Year’s Eve on the last day of the last year of human existence and various stories are unfolding, from a high-ranking minister with blood on his hands to a nurse keeping a secret. Later, in a cabin in the Alps, a musicologist and her daughter – the last people left on Earth – are trying to understand the catastrophe. According to The Independent , Nikolaidis “makes Samuel Beckett look positively cheery”, but I’m definitely in the mood for that kind of story now and then.

Martin MacInnes: 'Science fiction can be many different things'

The author of In Ascension, the latest pick for the New Scientist Book Club, on why he wrote his novel, cultivating a sense of wonder and the role of fiction in the world today

Mal Goes to War by Edward Ashton

In this techno-thriller, Mal is a free AI who is uninterested in the conflict going on between the humans, until he finds himself trapped in the body of a cyborg mercenary and becomes responsible for the safety of the girl she died protecting.

• science fiction /

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

More from New Scientist

Explore the latest news, articles and features

In Frank Herbert’s Dune, fungi are hidden in plain sight

Subscriber-only

Is the woolly mammoth really on the brink of being resurrected?

Popular articles.

Trending New Scientist articles

A Latina Harvard grad advised women to marry older men. The internet had thoughts.

When she was 20 years old and a junior at Harvard College, Grazie Sophia Christie had an epiphany. She could study hard and diligently pursue her “ideal existence” though years of work and effort.

Or she “could just marry it early.”

Christie chose the latter. 

In a column for New York magazine’s The Cut, the Cuban American editor and writer extolled the value of marrying an older, wealthier man as a shortcut to the life she desired. Christie’s March 27 story went viral, topping the magazine’s “most popular” list and inspiring hundreds of overwhelmingly negative comments online and on social media. As Miami New Times described it , “The essay hit the internet with a virtual thud heard round the world.”

Readers were taken aback by myriad aspects of Christie’s florid essay, which runs nearly 4,000 words. Though she was an undergraduate, Christie lugged “a heavy suitcase of books each Saturday to the Harvard Business School,” which she felt offered the best options for a suitable mate. “I had high breasts, most of my eggs, plausible deniability when it came to purity, a flush ponytail, a pep in my step that had yet to run out," she wrote. "Older men still desired those things.” 

She crashed an event at the Harvard Business School and met her future husband when she was 20, and they married four years later.

Many readers were struck by the fact that Christie had the benefit of an elite education — she also completed a fellowship at Oxford University — yet chose to enter into an unequal marriage. “My husband isn’t my partner. He’s my mentor, my lover, and, only in certain contexts, my friend,” she writes. “I’ll never forget it, how he showed me around our first place like he was introducing me to myself. This is the wine you’ll drink, where you’ll keep your clothes, we vacation here; this is the other language we’ll speak, you’ll learn it and I did.”

Christie, now 27, writes that she enjoys time “to read, to walk central London and Miami and think in delicious circles.”

There is, Christie writes, a downside to her monied existence: “I live in an apartment whose rent he pays and that shapes the freedom with which I can ever be angry with him. He doesn’t have to hold it over my head, it just floats there, complicating usual shorthands to explain dissatisfaction.”

By marrying so young — although as many social media users pointed out, her husband is only 10 years older — Christie was able to leave a “lucrative but deadening spreadsheet job to write full-time, without having to live like a writer.”

A recurring theme in the viral response to Christie’s article, ostensibly about age-gap relationships, is that it should have been titled “The Case for Marrying a Rich Man.”

Christie’s transactional approach to marriage and relationships resonated — negatively — with readers. An online parody of her original piece has already been posted by the literary magazine McSweeney’s. Her words have been dissected by a columnist at Slate, who called it “bad advice for most human beings, at least if what most human beings seek are meaningful and happy lives.”

Online, people who commented on Christie’s essay called it “an insult to women of any age,” “a sad piece of writing,” and “pitiful in so many ways.”  Some readers wondered if the article was a satire or a joke. One of the kinder comments on New York magazine’s website said: “This is one of the most embarrassing things I have ever read. I am truly mortified for the writer.”

Christie has so far not responded to media requests for interviews, and several attempts by NBC News to contact her were unsuccessful. Her Instagram account was recently switched from public to private.

According to her personal website , Christie is editor-in-chief of a new publication, The Miami Native, “a serious magazine about an unserious city.” Her website’s bio page, which appears to have been disabled, previously stated that she was “writing a novel between Miami, London, sometimes France.”

Christie grew up in Miami. Her parents,  Miami New Times has reported , are prominent in Florida’s conservative Catholic community. Her mother was appointed to the state Board of Education in March 2022. A senior fellow for The Catholic Association, she hosts a radio show , “Conversations with Consequences,” on the Eternal Word Television Network. Her father is a physician and an anti-abortion activist who, according to his website , lectures regularly on Catholic social issues, particularly marriage, family, and the dignity of life.”

For more from NBC Latino,  sign up for our weekly newsletter .

Raul A. Reyes, a lawyer, is a member of the USA Today Board of Contributors. He has written for The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Texas Monthly and the Huffington Post.