Every great writer comes across challenges during their career; no path you choose is plain sailing. So, whether you’re writing articles, blogs, novels or social posts, you’ve probably encountered the dreaded writer’s block.   

Writer’s block can stop you in your tracks and render your words useless, but focusing your energy on overcoming the hindrance with tools and tricks can boost your productivity sky-high!  

We understand how frustrating it can be to lose your train of thought or get distracted by notifications; instances like this can result in writing nothing of substance during your valuable time. That’s why we have devised a list of five ways to beat writer’s block and get back on that content grind!  

  

Why am I getting writer’s block?   

To overcome your writer’s block, you must first understand why your brain is working against you.   

Staring at a new document or page can be daunting, and putting pen to paper in that big empty space stimulates the feeling of fear in a writer. Fear and self-doubt about filling the blank page in front of you can become overwhelming, and the truth is that this psychological factor can prevent us from making any progress.   

But maybe you’re more than confident in your skill – as you should be! So why aren’t those creative juices flowing? It could be a lack of inspiration or energy. Neglecting to care for yourself and avoid burnout is vital in preventing writer’s block from striking.  

Many writers can be stumped due to digital and notification overload, too many real-life distractions, and maybe even personal events causing their thought process to wander.  

As much as we wish we could, we can’t fix all your problems. What we can do is show you some great techniques that are efficient in combatting writer’s block so that we can get you back to typing at high speeds!  

  

Overcoming writer’s block  

While some question whether writer’s block is just a figment of the imagination, we have experienced it first-hand and know that sometimes it’s not always as easy as ‘just writing’.  

Here are our top five tips, tricks and tools for combatting writer’s block.  

1. Change your surroundings  

Changing your scenery or switching which task you’re working on can help to kick-start your creative flow. We’ve discussed this and other tools that can help you increase your productivity while working from home in previous blogs. But if you don’t work from home, a great way to step away from your desk could be grabbing a cup of tea or taking a short walk to clear your head. 

Did you know that moderate levels of ambient noise, such as background chatter or low-volume music without lyrics, have been found to stimulate creativity? They are suggested to provide an escape from overthinking and promote a relaxed focus!  

Something as little as playing concentration sounds can help you to zone in on the task at hand; try searching ‘concentration music for working’ on YouTube.  

  

2. Check out other writer’s podcasts 

 As we’ve already established, every writer has been in your position! So, there’s a high possibility that they have something to say on the matter.   

Podcasts are a great way to blow the writing cobwebs away and teach you a lot of interesting information that can spark ideas. Even if the speaker doesn’t directly talk about writer’s block, taking a moment to listen to someone else’s voice can give you a well-needed break from hearing the one inside your head.   

Check out Mur Lafferty’s podcast: ‘I Should Be Writing’, created to help writers get past anything in their way.  

  

3. Use the people around you!  

  The people that you are surrounded by can often become a forgotten resource when it comes to generating ideas and getting past writer’s block. But tapping into the brains of your family members, those in your team at work and friends online can be a great way to bring some new ideas to the table!  

Everyone thinks differently; take advantage of this.   

Here at 10X, we support each other and work together to break through any barriers we come across while writing. Make sure you have this support system whilst working, and you’ll have no problem creating aesthetic visuals, brilliant ideas and perfect content (like us).  

  

4. Read everything you can get your hands on  

  

Reading is proven to be beneficial in many ways, but to a writer, reading can be one of their most useful resources (without them even knowing it!).   

Increasing the amount that you read will improve your skills and vocabulary, but it’s also perfect for content ideation when you’re stuck staring at a blank page. So next time you’re struggling to make progress on a project, take a break for some meaningful reading.  

Whether reading (or rereading) your favourite book, interesting online articles on digital marketing, or even LinkedIn posts, ideas are everywhere – you just have to look.  

  

5. AI tools that you can use (with caution)  

  

The new trend to sweep across the content creation world is Artificial Intelligence (AI) which can produce a crazy amount of copy in record times, but should it be used for this?   

AI, such as ChatGPT or other systems, such as BingAI and Google’s new AI technologies, can be great for coming up with ideas fast and can quickly provide inspiration. Still, the danger of immoral marketing can be a big issue.   

Rather than using AI to produce copy, use it to explore potential questions, themes and pathways your content could go down. But always remember to improve AI suggestions; your brain is better than its programming!  

  

Still don’t feel like writing? Let us do it for you! Contact us and work with our team of content experts at 10X Marketing Consultancy.