Every author has struggled with writer’s block at some point during their writing life. It is one of the most common issues encountered by both amateur and professional writers everywhere. In order to see your book end up in print, you must be able to smash through writer’s block.
1 – Establish a Writing Habit
Pliny the Elder said it best, “Nulla dies sine linea.” Translation: “Not a day without a line.” Even as far back as the early days of the Roman Empire, when Pliny the Elder lived, writers understood the importance of a daily writing habit. The only way to be sure that you find the time each day to write is to do it every day. And don’t miss days.
In modern times this works just as well. Jerry Seinfeld, yes that Jerry, made a habit in his early career to write one new joke every day and had a calendar next to his desk where he drew a big red X over that day after he completed his joke each day. He did it the next day and the next day, creating an unbroken chain of days where he wrote every single day. The more days you write and keep the chain intact, the more pressure you have to keep your streak alive. This is the essence of creating a writing habit.
2 – Write at the Same Time Each Day
This method is related to method #1 above. Your brain is wired to love routine. Routines and habits mean the brain expends less energy to operate, and the brain likes that. So, writing at the same time each day reinforces that writing habit. Having a daily writing ritual is a way to prime your brain and let it know that it is time to write. This is a prevalent habit for almost all successful, best-selling authors.
3 – Set a Strict Deadline
Nothing inspires creativity like a rigid, tangible deadline. Did you ever have a paper due that you knew about weeks in advance, and you couldn’t even think of a topic for the paper, let alone write the paper itself, until the night before it was due? Suddenly, fueled by adrenaline and panic, a great topic presents itself, and you plow through writing the paper in one marathon session. The problem with writing for yourself is that you do not have anyone giving you deadlines (most of the time), and you need to do this for yourself.
4 – Free Yourself to Write Badly
No writers write pretty first drafts. This is the truth about the writing life. So you need to permit yourself to write the worst crap on the face of the earth–just as long as you write something. Most of the hard work of writing happens when you fix up that terrible first draft.
5 – Warm Up Before Each Writing Session
An excellent way to start each writing session is by having a short 10 to 15-minute freewriting session where you write about whatever is on your mind or bothering you that day. This helps get those thoughts and worries out of the way so you can focus on the real work of writing.
6 – Write the Easy Parts First
Getting stuck in the middle of a writing project is never easy. Many people think you need to write sequentially, beginning with page one and not stopping until you reach the words “The End.” But who says that you must write this way? If you find yourself stuck and don’t know what you will write next, skip ahead to the next part where you know what you need to write about. There is nothing wrong with writing a story out of sequence. In fact, many–if not most–writers write out of sequence. So don’t be afraid to skip to the next part of your manuscript where you know what needs to be written next and go back and build the connections from the previous scene to the next scene at another time.
7 – Work in a New Location
Sometimes all it takes to break through a writer’s block is a change of scenery. Going to a coffee shop or the library might be enough to kick your mind into gear just because of the novelty of the change. You can do this at home by writing outside or in a different location within the house. If you are stuck, give this a try.
8 – Get Active
Sometimes the best way to deal with writer’s block is to move your body by taking a walk or working out. Moving helps wake up your body and mind, and doing something other than writing might be just what you need to get a breakthrough.
9 – Change Your Tools
If you usually write by sitting in front of a computer and typing into your word processor, try writing long-hand in a notebook or sketching out scenes in a storyboard format. If you usually write using a ballpoint pen, try using a fountain pen or even crayons to change up the process and approach.
Let InstantPublisher Bring Your Creative Ideas to Life
Once you have broken through your writer’s block and have finished your book, send it to InstantPublisher. InstantPublisher is a full-service book printing and binding company that has served self-published authors since 2004. We are an affordable option for self-published authors everywhere. To learn more, contact us at 1-800-259-2592, fill out our online contact form, or send an email to questions@instantpublisher.com to get more information about our book publishing services.