Blast Through Writer's Block: How to Get Unstuck

writing craft

I hate writer’s block, that feeling of being stuck and not knowing what to write or how. So, I decided to take it head-on and learn more about writer’s block.

Why do we get writer’s block, and how do we get unstuck? Writer’s block is due to perfectionism, fear, story problems, lack of inspiration, distraction, and procrastination. There are seven key strategies to blast through writer’s block:

Freewrite!
Get Inspired!
Switch It Up!
Clear Your Mind!
Sit and Stay!
Ritualize!
Give Me a Break!

I thought it was insightful to dig deeper into WHY we get writer's block, to unpack it, and also the specific tips and tricks on HOW to get unstuck and blast through writer’s block.

Before we start ...
do you want to write fiction faster,
while practicing your craft and your writing process to consistently get better?

Check out this link to the FREE "Write Fiction Faster ... and better" guide and workbook,
which comes with a FREE companion course
with 23 bite-sized video lessons and 4 worksheets.

Why We Get Writer’s Block

I have always found it helpful to understand the root causes of a problem. Which of these reasons for writer’s block resonates most with you?

PERFECTIONISM

Writing something is better than writing nothing, right? But often we freeze up because we want what is set down on the page to be perfect, the best writing anyone has ever seen. Of course, that is unattainable. Several of the tips and tricks in the next section deals with shaking off these perfection blocks by forcing yourself to “write imperfect” (or even “write ugly.”)

FEAR

We fear rejection or just “looking stupid” and so we put off writing. And sometimes we even fear success, such as “how will things change if I complete our writing and the success changes my life in unpredictable ways.” These fears may not (and usually are not) fully articulated, but are more like uneasy feelings that are manifesting themselves as your writer’s block.

STORY PROBLEMS

Your writer's block could be a sign that there is a problem in your story, such as a hole in the plot, issues with one or more of the characters, even the setting or the point of view. Your story may be telling you, through your writer’s block, that it needs some work, and until you do the work to resolve this, you’re going to continue to be stuck.

LACK OF INSPIRATION

Writer's block is often a symptom of feeling “dry”, uninspired. As you will see in the tips and tricks below, there are time-tested methods of getting inspired, or of sticking to it and “writing through” the block until inspiration comes.

DISTRACTION

Could it be that your “writer's block” is simply because other things have your attention (the ringing phone, the pinging text, the emails, the social media, all the movies, and TV shows you HAVE to watch, the internet links you HAVE to click on, the books you HAVE to read)? And could it be that you have the power to decide to turn off those distractions? Would that help you blast through your writer’s block?

PROCRASTINATION

Maybe you’re like me and the ultimate reason is simply that we follow Mark Twain’s tongue-in-cheek maxim:

“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day AFTER tomorrow.”

- Mark Twain

How To Get Unstuck From Writer’s Block

It is helpful to understand why we have writer’s block, but what do we do about it? These seven tips and tricks are purposefully written as imperatives because sometimes we just have to give ourselves commands. So, think of these as the 7 commandments of blasting through writer’s block, and do all of them, one after the other. Alternatively, if you’re not into that sort of thing, instead just pick one that speaks to you, or pick a number, 1 through 7, and just try that one.

1. FREEWRITE!

Let your mind (and your pen/keyboard/dictation) run free, and just freewrite! This is particularly helpful if the underlying root cause is perfectionism, fear, lack of inspiration, or procrastination because just writing anything without worrying about whether it is any good, whether someone will judge you, and without that elusive inspiration, is a sure-fire cure-all for any of those issues. It can be helpful to set a timer (also known as the “Pomodoro Technique”) and commit to writing until the timer is up. 25 minutes is a good amount of time, but if that seems intimidating, try just 5 minutes. It’s all about getting started writing something, rather than nothing. What to write about? Some ideas:

Brainstorm ideas - ideally related to the area where you are stuck. For example, write down 10 ideas quickly, then pick 2 or 3 and combine them and write about that combination. See where it takes you.
Journal about the place where you are stuck, talking to yourself out loud on the page about how it feels to be stuck, trying out ways of getting unstuck.
Freewrite a sketch of the scene where you’re stuck, not worrying about the dialogue or scene or characters just telling and re-telling the basic blocks of the scene until it starts feeling right.
Work on the story outline, a rough sketch of the overall arc of the plot. Write down the plot points and other issues that still need to be resolved, just to get them down on paper, even if you don’t have a resolution to them yet.
Write ugly, write imperfectly, turn off the spell checker, or if you are dictating maybe close your eyes and just go, getting some words out, forcing yourself not to stop, not to edit until that Pomodoro timer is up.

2. GET INSPIRED!

Instead of forcing yourself to write, you can also work on getting inspired. Some ideas:

Find a website or a book with writing prompts. A list of both blogs and books is included in the resources at the end of this post.
Read a passage from a favorite author and try to emulate their style.
Read a passage of YOUR OWN writing that you’re happy with. Get inspired by yourself, how cool is that?
Read inspiring quotes about writing, or anything else that gets you motivated. A list of sites with good quotes about writing and other motivational insights is included in the resources at the end of this post.
Keep a “swipe file” of ideas in a notebook (either a physical notebook or a digital notebook like Evernote, Bear, One Note Day One, etc.) so that you have ideas to turn to in order to get inspired.

3. SWITCH IT UP!

Try to approach your writing from a different angle in order to get unstuck. Some ideas:

Pick another character in the story and write from that character’s perspective. It may open your writer’s eye to something about the main character and you may be able to return to writing from that original character’s perspective, or you could find that you should shift the perspective for good.
Jump to another part of the story (forward or back) and write that section instead of the scene where you are stuck.
Work on your characters by writing their backstory. Invent family stories, past events, hopes, fears, and other background information for your characters. Work on their character profiles and go deeper. Write your way forward into how this background affects the current story.
Pick a different story altogether and write on it, just to take a complete break from where you are stuck. Flash Fiction is excellent for this purpose since you can relatively quickly complete a whole (very short) story and get that positive feedback.
Do some research on key plot points, the settings, the historical period, or the world-building, and write about it. That is, don’t just do research, which can be just another way of putting off the actual writing. For example, set a timer for 15 minutes, and when it goes off, stop the research and write about what you have learned and how the new information will fit into the story, and how it might reshape the story or the characters.
Change the way you write. If you normally type on a keyboard into a computer, break out the old-school pen and paper, or try dictation and transcription. Or perhaps if you write in a very structured environment (Scrivener, Microsoft Word, Apple Pages), try a completely distraction-free tool such as Drafts, Google Docs, etc.
Change the story genre or tone. For example, if you have been writing a mystery/thriller, a noir set in the 1940s, how would it be if you changed it up to set it in the future (science fiction) or in a fantasy world, or do you introduce supernatural/horror elements, or switch the focus to a romantic comedy with a mystery twist? Instead of doing this for the whole story, you could pick a scene or a section and write it in a different style. In the end, you may change this section back to fit with the overall tone of the story, but by shaking it loose this way, you can push through your writer’s block.

4. CLEAR YOUR MIND!

Sometimes you just need a break, step away from the writing in a deliberate way, not so as to put off, and certainly not to throw in the towel and give up, but so you can return to your writing with a clear mind and fresh resolve. Some ideas:

Take a walk, get your blood flowing, or do something even more active (pushups, or — horrors — the dreaded burpees!!!)
Brew a cup of coffee or your favorite herbal if that is your (tea) bag.
Play a video game — but, please, set a timer and commit that you will stop when the timer is up.
Turn on some music (and if you want to get up and dance, that’s OK too.)
Take a shower. Isn’t it amazing how ideas come to you in the shower? If you don’t want to take a shower in the middle of the day, or if this becomes your go-to method, and your skin begins to dry out from taking multiple showers each day, any mindless task will do. Take out the trash, do the dishes, or organize your 8-track collection.
Meditate. If you don’t already meditate, I promise you it’s worth trying. Meditation clears and focuses your mind like nothing else!
When all else fails, sleep on it. Let your subconscious work while you take a nap. But set that timer! Then get back to the writing.

5. SIT AND STAY!

This is the “commandment” that sounds the most like a “command”, on purpose. Sometimes we just have to be forceful with ourselves. The German language can put a whole phrase worth of meaning baked into a single word (think of “Schadenfreude”, which means “taking pleasure in another’s misfortune” or “Weltschmertz” which means “the feeling you get when your expectations of the world fall disappointingly short”).

“Sitzfleisch” is another of these. The literal meaning is “sitting flesh”, and it signifies “staying power”, meaning "the ability to sit still for long enough to work through the difficult spots in order to see a project through to the end." So, practice your “Sitzfleisch”. Some ideas:

Be your own dog, give yourself the “sit” and “stay” command, then obey (maybe you’ll give yourself a treat as a reward afterward), then, once you’ve sat down …

Just sit and stay, even if you find yourself just staring at the blank page, the blinking cursor, keep sitting, keep staying with it, until you have put something down on paper, no matter how frustrating, no matter how long you have to sit, no matter how bad you think the result is, and …
Don’t get up, even if you need a bio break, even if someone calls you from the other room, there’s no leaving the spot until you have put down some words, and, finally …
No distractions allowed! No internet, no games, no television, no reading, just “Sitzfleisch” until you have written something, anything.

Note: for those of you who do your work at a standing desk, replace the command "sit" by something else like "stay" (or "get to work", "get down to business"), you get the idea.

6. RITUALIZE!

Routines are a string of connected habits, done regularly, even automatically. It’s ordinary, with a lack of thought, on autopilot. Rituals are sacred symbolic acts that connect you with the purpose, they are routines with MEANING associated. Some ideas:

Types of Writing Routines (adapted from Cal Newport’s excellent book “Deep Work”), which of these are most right for you at this time in your journey (and which would you want to follow if you had your ultimate writer’s lifestyle)? Personally, I am currently following the “Rhythmic” pattern, but the “Bimodal” is attractive as a longer-term aspiration:

Monastic - simplify your life so you can write all the time;
Bimodal - plugged in for long stretches, writing almost exclusively for a time (days, weeks, months), then checked out for long stretches not writing at all;
Rhythmic - find the rhythms when you can block off time for long stretches, and stick to it (for example, 25-minute blocks of Pomodoros with a 5-minute break between them. Start with 1, then build up to 2, 3, 4, 5, most likely no more than 8 which is 4 hours of intense work with breaks. If you are someone who does not want to break out of your groove, then consider the 90-minute "Deep Work" rhythm Cal Newport and many others recommend, followed by a 15-minute break before hitting the next 90-minute Deep Work session;
Journalistic - find time whenever you can, cramming to meet due dates for major writing projects, writing in nooks and crannies in-between other tasks.

Triggers - have a set time, place, and some ritualistic objects and activities that signal to your mind that it’s time to get down to writing. For example, Stephen King gets to work around the same time (between 8-8:30 a.m) in the same place (his office desk, his favorite office chair), and with the same set of routine objects and activities (a glass of water, a cup of tea, his vitamin pill, reference papers arranged in a specific way, music). Even if you are not in the same physical space (ex if you have to write in a hotel room, different coffee shops, moving to different parts of the house in order to accommodate family life) you can use the ritualistic objects and activities to send the message to your brain that “this is my writing space and my writing time”.
Time - ideally finding and setting aside time to write when your mind is sharpest and when you have the most energy. For many that is first thing in the morning. A lot of writers swear by this routine. Getting to writing first thing and not letting yourself stop until you have hit your daily quota no matter when that is (Stephen King), or writing for a set amount of time first thing in the morning regardless of much progress is made in that time block (Henry Miller). But for others, it is a different time of day or late in the evening, such as Jack Kerouac who wrote from midnight till dawn. You will know what is best for you.
Startup - (getting started is the hardest part). First: what puts you in the right mindset to write? Is it extreme discipline such as following an exact timetable (W.H. Auden), or the complete opposite such as writing in bed with a cup of coffee, cigarettes, donuts, and a strong drink (Patricia Highsmith.) Next: what techniques help you get started? For some, it is simply the triggers, the time of day, and setting a timer (the Pomodoro Technique again), for others you need to spend a bit of time re-reading prior writing from your prior writing session, and yet others swear by having a very simple bullet-point list of the setting, actions/conflict, and characters that are the topic of the current writing session. What do you need to get started?
Shutdown - it can be helpful to have a semi-formal “shutdown ritual” where you deliberately pick the manner in which you end your writing session and shut down for the day. For example, Hemingway would sometimes purposefully stop in the middle of a sentence as a way of keeping an “open loop” where he would be compelled to start the next day, just to complete the sentence. Some writers like to end by writing notes to themselves (perhaps right in the manuscript) about what they need to work on next. This may also be an opportunity to have a mini-celebration, a reward of some sort to recognize that you have put in the effort and made progress. You may also want to verbalize it. Cal Newport says out loud “Shutdown Complete!” as a ritual to signify that he is now done for the day.

7. GIVE ME A BREAK!

Finally, your writer's block may be telling you that you need to take a longer break from this project. Maybe it needs to stew, age, ferment, and mature a bit in your mind. Even when a writing project is completed, this can be a good practice. Steven King, in his excellent book “On Writing”, calls it his “drawer method” where he puts his completed (and in some cases partially completed) manuscript in a drawer and deliberately forgets about it for a period of time (six weeks is his general rule), then pick it back up and read it again with a fresh perspective.

Resources

These are some resources I have found helpful in understanding and coping with writer's block:

WRITING PROMPTS

Here are two good blog posts with a lot of writing prompts that can help you get unstuck :

These are reference books with a huge amount of writing prompts, worth having in your tool chest for when you feel stuck:

ROUTINES

These blog posts include more detail on the routines other writers use to either overcome writer's block or never get it in the first place:

And if you want to go even deeper, read Mason Currey's Daily Rituals: How Artists Work, which takes you on a guided tour of the way creative people work, based on research into 161 writers and artists (and other creative professionals).

INSPIRATION

These blog posts include inspiring quotes to help boost your motivation:

MY FAVORITE ALL-PURPOSE RESOURCE

The Writer's Treasure Chest - everything in one place, curated, organized, this is a great reference for all things writing craft, with tons of prompts, plot/character generators and other tools to inspire you to write — you'll never have writer's block again!

Now thats you've blasted through your writer's block, it's time to finish that story, here are some articles that will be helpful as you write:

FREE COURSE, GUIDE AND WORKBOOK

Do you want to write fiction faster, while practicing your craft and your writing process to consistently get better? Check out this link to the "Write Fiction Faster ... and better" guide and workbook, which comes with a companion course with 23 bite-sized video lessons and 4 worksheets.

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