How to Get Over Writer’s Block, According to Successful Published Authors
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What if I told you that you never have to feel writer's block ever again? I have great news for all authors — it is possible to overcome! But you don't have to take my word for it because today, I'm going to give you seven unique strategies used by traditionally published authors to get over writer's block and get their books back on track. Every author's process is unique, so use whichever of these techniques works for you.
Here's how to get over writer’s block, according to seven successful authors:
1. Put the Scene Away
The first technique for how to get over writer's block is to put the scene away. This comes from New York Times bestselling author Marissa Stapley. She says:
"If a certain scene or chapter isn't working, I'll leave it and move to another one. If the writing just isn't flowing at all, I stop forcing it, get up, exercise or go for a walk. It can be a hard thing to force yourself to do, but the tricky scene ALWAYS seems to sort itself out when I'm out walking—not staring at my screen in frustration.”
It may be the case that you're not actually totally blocked from writing; you are just blocked on this one particular scene or moment in the manuscript. So, moving your brain to a different part of the story can reactivate it and allow you to keep moving through your draft. You can always turn back to that specific area that's stumping you on a new day during a new writing session when hopefully, you've cleared your head and some new ideas start to flow in.
2. Identify the Real Problem
The next technique for how to get rid of writer's block is to identify the real root problem. This comes from author Jessica Payne:
"Don't hate me, but for me, writer's block isn't really a thing. If I'm struggling to write, I find it's a symptom of something else—either I took a wrong turn in the book (and need to backtrack and figure out where), or there's something in the rest of my life impacting me. Maybe I'm exhausted or hungry or just need a day off. To summarize, it's a sign something is wrong, and I just need to figure out where that problem is and fix it!."
Here, Jessica is saying that writer's block isn't a problem in and of itself but is rather an effect of a problem happening elsewhere. Something else is going on in your life, mind, or body, and writer's block is the symptom.
To identify what that root problem might be, think about Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Are your baseline needs being met right now when you're trying to write? If they're not, then you're probably not going to be particularly productive in your craft at this particular moment. Make sure that your mind and your body are taken care of first because that's going to help you be in the place to produce your best work and hopefully not run into writer's block.
3. Clear Your Mind
This next author has a ton of great techniques that I think all boil down to clearing your mind, and this is from Sunday Times bestselling author Andrea Stewart:
"I have several different techniques I like to use. One is to just block my access to the internet, to force me to focus on the work ahead of me. You'd be surprised by how many minutes you can waste by checking one thing here or one thing there, while also interrupting your train of thought. Two is to go for a walk, even better if you have someone who will listen silently to walk with. A little bit of time away from the keyboard can help get your creativity going. Three is to consume other media that I find really enjoyable, and to analyze what makes it so enjoyable for me. This usually gets ideas and solutions going for me. And four is just to open a document to free-write, something I use to essentially talk to myself and attempt to work through whatever problem I'm running into.”
So, part of it is just remembering the joy, and part of it is systematic problem-solving. Whether you block the internet, go for a walk, consume some other type of content that you enjoy, or free write, all of these different techniques help you clear your mind, get rid of distractions and get out of that place where it is stuck in your current draft. The idea is to activate a different part of your brain that then lets you return to your work in progress with rejuvenated energy.
4. Remember You Have a Job to Do
The next way to beat writer's block is to remember you have a job to do, and this comes from bestselling author Jane Healey. She says:
"I think if you want to be a professional writer, you have to reframe the idea of writer's block. I don't really believe in being blocked and I haven't for a long time. When I'm on deadline, there are days I might not feel inspired to write 2,000 words. Some people might call this blocked. But if I'm on contract and being paid to write a novel, I'm not going to say, “Oh well, I'm blocked today; I'm just not going to write”. I'm going to sit down and write 2,000 words, no matter how long it takes me that day. And they may not be the best 2,000 words I've ever written, they may be terrible, but they will help me hit my deadline and deliver the product I promised to deliver.”
So, Jane's tip here applies especially to writers who have an external deadline either given to them by their agent or their editor at the publishing house. Backtracking how many words per session you need to write to reach your goal of a complete draft by that date can help you stay on track and help you avoid the feeling of writer's block if you know you have this job to do.
But even authors who don't yet have agents or publishers can apply this technique by simply treating your writing time as working time. Make sure that when you sit down to do the work, the work gets done, just like you do in your professional life.
5. Power Through It
The next technique for how to get out of writer's block is to just power through it, and this comes from USA Today bestselling author Kerri Maher. She says:
"I channel Dori from Finding Nemo: “Just keep swimming (writing) …. Just keep swimming (writing)….” And when that really does not work, I give myself as long a break as I need — whether that’s to take a walk, take the rest of the day off, or even take a few months off.”
This goes in tandem with Jane's tip about treating writing like your job or like your work. Sometimes the only way through is to simply power through the task, and brute force is the only way that it will get done.
I know I personally fall into the trap of procrastinating and procrastinating when I have a big monumental task ahead of me, but then I find that once I sit down and start doing the work, just diving straight in and making some amount of progress, it starts to flow much more effortlessly, and the anticipation of starting the task was actually much worse than just starting it. So, try just getting a word, a sentence down, and see where that takes you. And remember, it does not have to be the greatest line ever written.
6. Ask Questions
The next technique for how to get over writer's block is to ask questions of your characters. This comes from author Gabriella Saab:
"I do a lot of developmental work upfront, which really helps me get to know my characters and story, so if I experience writer's block, the first thing I do is get away from my desk. Go for a walk, read a book, play with my dog, whatever I need to clear my head for a little bit. Then I dig back into my development notes and ask myself what am I stuck on? Is it the character and her motivation? How to get from plot point A to plot point B? Is it something to do with the research? If the answer can be solved by research, I'll do more of that and usually uncover something to help me.
“If it's a plot or character issue that isn't impacted by the history, I can almost always move past it by getting in my main character's head. What is her goal in this scene, who or what is standing in her way of achieving it, what are the stakes if she does or doesn't succeed, and what is she, personally, going to DO about it? These questions lead me to a solution that feels natural to my character, not to something I, the writer, am trying to force just to get the story moving. That would probably be my biggest tip for anyone experiencing writer's block: Always come back to your character, and more often than not, they'll give you the answer.”
Doing some deep character study work can be an excellent way to get unstuck wherever you are in your draft because it's going to unlock insight into who your character really is and where they are trying to go in the story. So, consider opening up a blank document on your computer or getting a physical blank page in front of you and doing some character brainstorming activities.
I'd focus on identifying your main character's drives, their desires, and what is getting in their way, also known as the obstacle. Once you do that, look back to your draft and see how you can bake that into this part of the story that you're in.
7. Connect with Other Writers
The final technique for how to get over writer's block is to connect with other writers, which comes from author Tracy Badua:
"I talk to other writers. Not only does it make me feel a little less alone (turns out a lot of us go through the same slow periods when it comes to writing and reading), but sometimes a fun conversation can provide just the motivating spark needed to approach my work again.”
Writing can so often feel like an incredibly isolated task, but it doesn't have to be. Lean on writer friends who are likely going through the exact same thing you are. The techniques that they use to overcome writer's block could inspire you, or maybe you simply talk about something that sparks an idea for your story. Getting out of your own head and hearing what's going on in others' heads can really work wonders for your creative process.
So, next time you come down with a bad case of writer's block, I hope you know exactly what to do. Thanks so much for reading, and happy writing!