3 Easily Applicable Ideas to Not Only Fight, but KILL Writer’s Block

This is a guest post by Karol K from Online Business Design blog.

“Plumbers don’t get plumber’s block.”

… I’m sure you’ve heard that before… Every blogger/writer had. It probably even makes you feel a little depressed when you hear it… Plumbers don’t get plumber’s block. Drivers don’t get driver’s block. Bakers don’t get baker’s block. Teachers don’t get teacher’s block. Are you the only creäture in the universe with a block?

Surely not the only one. There’s the government and 100% of politicians that share the same problem, but anyway, today we’re discussing bloggers and writers.

So let me tell you why writers are so prone to having a block. First of all, this is nothing to be ashamed of. It just happens, once in a while. Like spilling milk, or losing keys to your car.

The main reason is that writing is one of those creativity-heavy activities. It’s not something you can do just like that without being in the right state of mind. Creativity can’t just be called upon or summoned… like ordering a pizza, for example. There’s no pill for improving your levels of creativity.

Plumbing is not a creativity-heavy activity. That’s why there’s no plumber’s block.

Thankfully, you are not standing on a losing position. Even though creativity seems to be something ungraspable, you can still do some things to help you get into the right mindset when it’s time to sit down and get some pages done.

This is exactly why the following three ideas work. They are not the remedy, they are prevention pills.

1. Have a Bank of Ideas

Let me be honest with you. Without my bank of ideas I would be able to write absolutely nothing. And “bank of ideas” is just a fancy name for a mindmap with all my ideas for new blog posts in it.

(By the way, check out FreeMind – great mindmapping software.)

Such a thing can help you a lot. One reason; trying to come up with an idea for a post is completely different from writing the actual post. The most common case of writer’s block happens when you don’t know what to write about, not when you don’t know what to write about a SPECIFIC topic.

If your bank of ideas has more than 20 items in it, I am 100% sure that you’ll find a compelling topic, no matter what mindset you’re currently in.

The fact that we can’t write a post on every possible topic all the time is obvious. There are times when some topics are closer to us than others, so if you have a bank of ideas you can use it in every situation.

Maintaining a bank of ideas is simple. Whenever you have an idea for a new blog post, for God’s sake, write it down! If you’re not in front of a computer write it down on your iPhone, or on a napkin. Just make sure you don’t forget it. And when it’s time to write something, start by firing up your bank of ideas. That’s it.

2. Relaxation and Exercise

Your brain can’t be working on full throttle all the time. You have to have some relaxation. And the best form of relaxation is focusing on something entirely different.

Let me give you an example. If you’re a blogger and you want to have a short break from writing, then reading a book is not relaxation. You are still focusing on a piece of text, only this time the other way around (you’re consuming, not producing). For some real relaxation you have to let the writing-part of your brain have a complete break.

That’s why the best possible relaxation for anyone who’s doing some creative work is physical exercise. Hit the gym. Ride a bike. Run a mile. Swim. Just do something involving your body, not your brain.

Besides, being a physically active person brings a lot more benefits, which I’m sure you know.

3. Fixed schedule

Set aside fixed hours for writing.

I know that it doesn’t sound like much sense because you’re probably thinking that creativity can’t be locked inside fixed schedule like, for example, taking the trash out.

However, the principle behind this (and the reason it works) is very simple. By setting a fixed schedule you are teaching your brain exactly when it has to be at 100% of its possibilities. Trust me, if you force yourself to write every day at 10PM (example) then after a week you will start to see big improvements. Your brain will be ready for the upcoming effort. It will simply be ready.

This is a similar technique that professional boxers are using before a scheduled fight. They train at the exact same hours that the fight is scheduled to take place, only to teach their body on when it needs to give maximum of its capabilities.

I urge you to just try it for a week or two. Set fixed hours. Whatever time fits you best. But you have to stick with them. If it’s 10PM then it’s 10PM. Not 10PM on Monday, 8PM on Tuesday, and 11PM on Wednesday.

 

These three hacks (let’s call them) work because of one simple thing. They are creating conditions for you to trigger your creativity and help to keep it present.

When you have your schedule set, your brain knows when it has to be ready. When you are relaxed, you have all your resources ready to be put into work. When you have your bank of ideas, you know what to write about… Writer’s block killed for good.

Your brain is a muscle. Sometimes you just need to treat it as such. Train it, prepare it for slightly bigger load, and then give it some rest to recharge the batteries.

What about you? What are your tricks of fighting writer’s block? I’m sure you have some. Feel free to speak up in the comments.

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32 thoughts on “3 Easily Applicable Ideas to Not Only Fight, but KILL Writer’s Block”

  1. Great article Karol. I get writers block on occasion.

    I have found that any time I have trouble coming up with a subject, I just head over to my favorite niche forum and see what people are asking.

    Works every time…;)

    Great point about scheduling too.

    Mark

    1. I agree, forums are great. There’s no better place to find out what the most current concerns and issues in your niche are.

  2. Actually I’m not sure if anyone did try this but, it did clear my writers block, which is rewrite every words written on a sales letter written by great copywriters, I know you might be thinking, what does this copywriting 101 lesson got to do with blogging, well… as far as writing is concern, you need to train your brain and your hands to get use to writing like a great copywriter, this is call neurological imprint, once you mastered it, it’s almost like you can write smoothly with whatever ideas you have in your mind without stopping.
    Trust me, I did this sort of training before and it was thought by Gary Halbert who was one of the legend in the copywriting world. This is how he train his student and also how he got to be the most expensive copywriter when he was alive.
    Oh, almost forgot I like your idea about planning a time for full combat in writing, though I never plan my time of writing, but I will try it out and see how it goes. Thanks for sharing your 3 ideas 🙂

  3. I mostly like to use tools that help with creating a distraction free writing space.

    One of my favorites right now is ZenWriter and Dark Room, they help me stay distraction free, which helps the ideas flow more easily.

    1. One nice thing is that the wordpress has now also added a feature which lets you write without any distraction. In v3.2 they have added a full screen feature while in the writing mode. On clicking it, the borders and buttons are made invisible. All you get then is a white screen to write on.

      1. Yeah, Thats a really cool feature of wordpress but still I got distracted because I am working in 3 browsers simultaneously and have set gmail desktop notifications and skype too. So I have to go offline to do distraction free creative writing..!!

        1. What’s also effective (for me) is to just grab a laptop and go to a cafe. I have very little software installed on my laptop, so there’s not much stuff that can distract me from writing.

    1. Finding time for relaxation is a very common problem for everyone who’s doing any type of freelance activity, like writing. We often find ourselves in situations when there’s just too much stuff to do, so we don’t want to “waste” time on relaxation, which can backfire very quickly.

  5. Great writeup! I personally organize all my business ideas in an excel sheet, organized after project and type and it never comes a time i got nothing i could be working on.. I really need my daily exercise or i will go completely insane, i avoid a schedule though and try to be spontaneous when i can. Really working behind a computer makes you crave social interaction, so as soon as i get a call up for an event or a party i get away, haha. Always fun to ponder your own work routine. Keep it up Karol!

    1. Thanks. Let me just tell you that one of my recent changes has been to set my writing time for “first thing in the morning” (every day), and I find it to work exceptionally good. 🙂

  6. Setting time out before writing is a great bet. I’m
    always at fault with this nugget. I barely set my time properly
    and before I realize it, the day is almost gone,before I write my
    own blog post.
    Another thing is that if you don’t set out your time properly,
    You might waste a whole day on other people’s blog, commenting
    and guest posting. Time is precious, we need to use it well.

    1. I agree. That’s one of the reasons why I’ve set my writing time for “first thing in the morning” (as I said in the previous comment). It works great for me.

  7. I can see how the fixed schedule works. Its similar to when I go to school, I always have that time to go to my class, and I am ready to work and learn while in school during those times as I know ahead of time!

    Exercise is something I want to myself personally because I do feel like it will raise my energy level in the long run!

    -Jean

      1. Thanks Karol!

        I have a professor in school who swears by it. Although he is a little bit more hardcore about it. He will get up at 4 am in the morning to head on over to the gym to work out. He usually sleeps around midnight, and the guy has so much energy, its unreal!

        -Jean

  8. A gift post for bloggers. I agree with you that bloggers must have to go with these points to access success. as schedule is very important for blogging because without time setting you cannot achieve your high marks blogging. exercise is another point you written and written very right that exercise and rest is very important for ever blogger to do effective blogging. great points for every blogger.

  9. I am prone to writer’s block and it’s just such a bummer when you have a deadline to meet or have to churn out a number of articles in a day! I make sure I relax and exercise to break the work monotony but I’ve never thought of creating a bank of ideas and that’s just what I have to do!

    1. If I were to decide which one of these ideas is the biggest writer’s block killer I would go with the bank of ideas. 🙂 You should definitely have your own.

  10. This is a great list, Karol. While these ideas make sense, I think many of us forget to relax and set apart time for writing.

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