How to Overcome Writer’s Block
What is writer’s block?
I have something to write and can’t seem to think of what to say, but I’ve got to get it done!
Sounds like you? No way Dennis! Oh come on, we’ve all experienced the same phenomenon when we absolutely have a deadline to meet and can’t think of anything to put down on paper. It’s that sucky experience of having you know what…..
Wow! That took me an hour to get that out of my head and onto this darn page. Well of course I’m kidding, but it can be a real problem for many.
Writer’s block is that horrifying stare at the blank page. You sit down and may think you know what you’re going to talk about and then ‘WHAM!’– nothing–…. your mind goes completely blank and all you can do is sit there like a bump on a log wasting your time staring and staring with absolutely nothing to type.
The headache comes as you try to force out anything worth writing. You start to sweat it as you realize the deadline is coming and you’re not any closer than an hour ago. The harder you try, the worse it gets. Hitting yourself in the head and all the screaming in the world just makes it worse and hurts your head more.
So what’s the deal with this terrifying plunge into nothingness?
Well, I think its fear. Your terrified with that blank page. You’re afraid that you have nothing of value to say or you may just have the fear of writer’s block itself. Or it could be a combination of all the above.
Writer’s block can strike anyone at anytime. We have the fear of maybe feeling like an idiot. Like what we have to say will be of no worth or we’ll be laughed at for what we have to say. I know because I feel this all the time. Everyone is a critic and your words are in front of the world to see.
Well let me give you some tips that can get you past this challenge, so you can start writing once and for all.
I am here to tell you that WRITER’S BLOCK CAN BE
OVERCOME.
Please, remain seated.
There are many tricks to get your thoughts out of your head and onto the paper or computer. Try these out and before you know it, guess what? You’ll be writing.
Here are some tried and true methods used as a cure for writer’s block:
1. Know your topic. You have to do your research. If you take the time to research and prepare yourself before you even start to write, you have a good chance of having something to say and overcoming writer’s block.
2. Forget about being perfect. Write what comes into your mind, even if it doesn’t make any sense. The goal is to get it out of your head and written down. Nobody’s going to see your first draft or any drafts for that matter. Get the thoughts out and you can make sense of them later. I think people fall into the trap of thinking they have to write a masterpiece on the first try. Well get over it and you’ll get more done.
3. Don’t edit while you are writing. This is closely tied with the previous tip. Writer’s block can occur when you get too concerned about everything else besides writing out what you’re thinking. Don’t even think about the grammar and the punctuation and how it’s supposed to be formatted. Just write like you are sitting in a restaurant with your best friend talking. That’s right, get the conversation out on paper and forget about everything else but the thoughts. Believe it or not, you’ll be surprised at what comes out and how good you really can write.
4. Forget about the first sentence. To dissolve writer’s block just start with what comes to mind and go from there. Who said you have to start with the beginning, middle and then end. Just write out what comes to mind on the subject even if it’s the middle, end and then beginning. Don’t get caught up with the structure at this point
5. Act as if. Act as if you are the greatest accomplished writer in the world. Believe you can write a great article and you have much to say on whatever you’re writing about. Focus on that thought with no other thought’s to feed your writer’s block. It’s in you; you just have to believe you can bring it out.
6. As the old Nike slogan says, “Just do it.” Quit procrastinating keep your notes within sight and even use someone elses thoughts to get yourself going. This is a big key: Nothing is original! Of course you don’t want to copy someone’s work word for word because that’s plagiarism and illegal. But thoughts can’t be copywrited. Take from the knowledge of others and put these into your own words, added with your own experiences and style of writing and it becomes yours.
In conclusion, use these tips to keep you writing and overcoming writer’s block. And don’t worry if your work isn’t the greatest. If you have something important to say, there are plenty of people that will appreciate your thoughts. If your words inspire or help people in any way, then it’s valuable. And a final note, the more you write, the better you’ll get, so what are you waiting for?