8 Steps to Break Through Writer’s Block

Although Camp NaNoWriMo has wrapped up for the year, this doesn’t mean that you have to stop writing until November! Inspiration can strike at any time, so it’s good practice to take advantage of it when it does. Today, Piyusha Vir, Municipal Liaison for the Asia :: India region, gives you some advice on how to find that inspiration even when you feel blocked:

All of us face a blank wall sooner or later. Even experienced writers and successful authors face it. But for new writers, it can be even more difficult to start off. The blank page or screen stares intimidatingly back at us as we struggle to fill it with something interesting.

We start to write something, then think again. We delete it only to rephrase it differently. We may reach half way across the page and still not be happy with what we’ve written. No matter how many times we make a start, somehow we just can’t seem to get it right.

If this sounds familiar, here are some tips to get over that initial roadblock:

1. Use something random.

Use random phrases, idioms, words, quotes, song lyrics, photos, dialogues, tweets, Facebook comments, etc. as inspiration. NaNoWriMo has some great prompts that come in Camp Care packages in April and July, and tweets throughout November.

2. Read about writing.

Read as many articles or posts on writing as you can. These usually offer very insightful tips on how to approach the process of writing, and are also very helpful in giving tips on how to pick up ideas from around you. They can help give you a spark to get you started.

3. Connect with others.

Read other people’s blogs, posts, and comments. It usually triggers off something––the memory of a similar incident, the death of a loved one, your own take on life, your opinions regarding a social evil, love for a shared interest. All of these can be developed into a chapter, scene, or jumping-off point.

4. Reflect on life.

Take a moment’s pause and reflect on your life––important milestones, incidents and/or experiences, lessons learned, or even setbacks. You may want to write about them and share them with others.

5. Take a break.

Disconnect from your writing and connect with the real world. Remember that there’s life beyond the virtual world (I really need to take my own advice). Listen to music. Take a walk. Observe and absorb the sights around you. Real Life and Nature are both very good sources of inspiration. Explore a place and use it as a setting for a story or post. You can create a fictional account of a seemingly happy married couple fighting while on holiday, an interaction between two strangers who are stuck at a bus stop in the rain, a philosophical take on failed relationships, a poem about the starry night sky. Anything from the real world can be developed into something on paper.

Taking a break is very important as it helps declutter your mind. Pick up that half-written draft that you tossed aside yesterday. Revisit a previously written draft after a short break. Stuck in the middle of an article? Leave it alone for now. Sometimes, the time away from your desk helps you see your writing with a fresh mind and perspective. This not only improves the quality of writing but also helps you avoid glaring mistakes that may distract and take away from the message in your story.

6. Talk. Read. Ask. 

Just involve yourself in the stories of other people. Talk to your neighbors or ask a couple how they met. You will get to know a lot more than you initially did. Not only does it create better relationships with the people around you, but also gives you insights about people and how certain incidents shaped their lives and made them who they are. These discussions can become the basis of a character study in your novel.

7. Ask for advice.

Read up about the experiences and advice that veteran writers share. It may not give you ideas but will give you comfort and solace in knowing that you are not the only one experiencing writer’s block. Give yourself space and time.

8. Write. Just write.

However obvious this point may seem, it can’t be emphasized enough. You may not have a clear idea of how to express what you want to write, so just ramble on. You may not know what to talk about or how to go about it. So, just write about the first thought that comes to mind. If you burnt the chicken casserole, are frustrated with your pathetic painting skills, or couldn’t find that important appointment letter, then write about it. Pour out your feelings. It doesn’t matter whether it makes sense or not. You can always edit and re-edit it later. You don’t have to even publish it or share with anyone at all. But developing the habit of writing is an important step in the right direction.

Whenever something from any of the above steps sparks off a writing idea that germinates in your head, go to this step. Just write. Before you know it, you will have already crossed the “writer’s block” hurdle and will be writing furiously away to glory.

A version of this article was first published on WanderingSoulWriter.com.

Piyusha Vir (ML for Asia :: India) is a ‘sometime sane reader, part-time crazy writer, and full time wacky alien’. She is currently working on her first novel (which started in April Camp 2016), as well as various travel articles and short stories that she writes on her blog, wanderingsoulwriter.com. You may often catch her prowling the bookshelves at the CWI venue Readomania Lounge (in Delhi).

If you wish to join the 'very crazy, sometimes active, always supportive’ Delhi NaNoWriMo gang, message her on the NaNoWriMo site.

Top photo by Flickr user Jeremy Bronson.