My Favorite Cure For Writer’s Block

I know I said coming up with new ideas was the one thing I hated about writing. Well so is writer’s block. If you think about it, they’re almost the same thing. I mean, they’re both obstacles to your creativity.

Now, I have a clear list of things I do to overcome the lack of ideas, including talking to other people and browsing the web.

Just Stop Writing

I don’t have a list like that for writer’s block. In fact, I do one thing to combat writer’s block. I stop writing. The more I think about what I could write, the more obscure those perfect words seem to become.

I’ve heard about other cures. Like looking at pictures that evoke emotion or listening to music. Those don’t work for me.

At first, you might think that just quitting will ruin your productivity and push you past your deadline. Quitting can’t be any less productive than staring at a monitor screen wondering what to say, typing then backspacing and repeating.

Why Quitting Works for Me

Even though I’m no longer actively working on the writing project anymore, I still sometimes work on it in my head. In fact, I’ve usually worked out an article in my mind before I ever start typing. So quitting takes me back to the blueprint, so to speak, and helps me think about what I’m trying to do.

But, there are times when I quit that I don’t think about the project. Those times, I turn my mind to something else entirely. Then, when I come back to the project, I have a fresh perspective I can work on it with.

It Works Everytime

I can’t think of a single instance that quitting didn’t solve my writer’s block. Usually, I get writer’s block because my mind is racing too swiftly to get the thoughts out. So taking a step back, helps me slow things down so I can think about what I need to say.

Share your solutions to writer’s block. Do you fight through it, use writing prompts, or just quit all together like I do?