Strategies to Overcome Writer’s Block

What is Writer’s Block?

Writer’s block is a phenomenon experienced by writers that is best described as an overwhelming feeling of being stuck in the writing process without the ability to move forward and write anything new. There are a few hard truths we must face before talking about “overcoming” writer’s block though:

  • You do not overcome writer’s block by refusing to write until you feel “inspired.”
  • You do not overcome writer’s block by floundering & feeling bad about yourself.
  • You do not overcome writer’s block by being unkind or cruel to yourself.
  • You do not overcome writer’s block by procrastinating or making excuses.
  • You do not overcome writer’s block by doing everything but writing.
  • You do not overcome writer’s block by believing in writer’s block.

Turn Down the Dial on Self-Doubt

Sometimes we hear a critical voice in our head that make statements like “no one will think this is any good” or “there’s already a better scholar in your field.” Part of our writing practice should be learning how to turn the volume down on that voice, which has no place when we’re sitting down at the blank page. That voice might be helpful later down the line when we’re editing, but it’s not helpful before we even begin writing. There can be a lot of emotions that can make writing difficult: frustration at the rules of writing or the publication process, anger that past attempts at writing went unnoticed or underappreciated, and/or fears that we might not be good enough. Being aware and acknowledging these negative thoughts and feelings can be an important first step to overcoming writer’s block.

Creating a Productive Work Environment

One possible reason you may be struggling to begin writing could be connected to your writing (and by extension, your study) environment. Here’s a quick little exercise to get in touch with your writing needs. Take out a sheet of paper and answer the following questions:

  • Where do you prefer to write at? What spaces feel most productive to you? Do you prefer to be at home or out at a coffee shop? Library? Grad carrel?
  • Are you energized by being around other people—or is that distracting?
  • Is there a time of day that works best for you? When can you carve out writing time?
  • Do you need to incentivize yourself to get work done? Do rewards work on you? (For example, brewing tea, having snacks nearby, burning a favorite candle…)
  • Do you like to listen to a certain type of music—or is silence preferred?

After you’ve spent a few minutes outlining what you value in a writing environment, consider how your current work environment compares to your ideal, and if your current situation needs any enhancements or changes.

Practice Prewriting Exercises

One way to take off some of the pressure of producing your next great work is acknowledging that you don’t have to go straight into writing the thing itself. There are a number of “prewriting” (i.e.: planning) exercises to help you begin to generate thoughts and words without putting the onus on yourself to begin your magnum opus. These activities include freewriting, list-making, brainstorming, mindmapping (clustering), looping, and/or outlining. Resources:

Use Apps to Help You Organize and Focus

  • If you get distracted easily, there are timer-based apps (for example, Self Control or Freedom) that allow you to block out websites, social media, and other internet-based distractions so you can focus on your writing. There are also plenty of “Get Things Done” (GTD) apps you could embrace, such as Notion, OmniFocus, Evernote, Trello, Google Keep, and ToDoIst. There are also apps to track your research/citations, including Mendeley, Zotero, & EndNote. Try researching a few and experimenting with them—one of them may become a great resource for your writing practice! Resources:

Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals

You’re going to be overwhelmed and doing yourself a disservice if, say, you try to write an entire dissertation chapter in one day. “S.M.A.R.T.” is an acronym that encourages us to make sure our goals are targeted and able to be reached. Therefore, your goals should be specific, able to be measured, actually achievable, relevant (or reasonable), and time-sensitive.

  • Specific: Well-defined, clear, unambiguous
  • Measurable: Create criteria that measures your progress
  • Achievable: Attainable and not impossible to achieve
  • Realistic: Within reach, realistic, and relevant
  • Time-based: Create a clearly defined timeline that has a start date, benchmarks, and an anticipated deadline

Resources:

Strengthening Your Writing Practice

Below is a short list of ways to thwart writer’s block and get closer to your goals. This is an assortment of ideas for you to try:

  • Try a smaller, manual task to get yourself moving right before you plan to write, such as washing the dishes or taking out the trash. Engaging in a smaller activity can get us doing something, even if it’s not writing, which helps push away the apathy and malaise and resentment we can experience sometimes toward the blank page.
  • Don’t wait until inspiration strikes. Create a writing schedule for yourself using your S.M.A.R.T. goals to start building in a writing routine.
  • Try working in blocks of time, such as using the Pomodoro Technique.
  • If you’re in a rut, try mixing things up. Try writing in a new environment, or working on a different chapter or section of your writing project. If you feel like you’re pushed up against the wall, try to think outside the box and approach your writing from a different angle.
  • If you tend to be a perfectionist, find small ways to take the pressure off, such as drafting is an “ugly” font or avoiding titling your paper or sections until the end. Naming something can give it power, so try and find small ways to ignore the desire to be great.
  • Create an accountability group with friends so you’re all working on writing together and can support each other.

Resources:

Practice Wellness & Use Your University Resources

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, remember to take care of yourself. Writing—especially bigger writing projects like dissertations—can be mentally taxing. Listen to your body and don’t forget your needs as a human: sleeping and eating and even remembering to take a break from the computer screen to move your body or do some light stretches. We also have counseling and therapy services here at the university that you may want to take advantage of if you feel that your writer’s block might be connected to other parts of your health and overall wellness. Resources: