10 Proven Methods To Banish Writers Block

10 Proven Methods To Banish Writers Block

We all suffer from that dreaded writers block from time to time. And we even write huge articles on how to overcome it! And sometimes, we even hit writers block trying to write an article that tells you how to overcome writers block! Oh the irony! But to help with that, I've taken the angle as though I'm giving you 10 quick condensed tips on how to overcome it.

1. Set a Regular Writing Time
It's all about brain training when it comes to writing. By setting a regular writing time, you'll train your brain into getting into writing mode so that when you do sit down to write, your brain will be ready for it as you have trained and conditioned it to get used to sitting down at that time and writing. So set a regular writing time and stick to it!

2. Read the Writers You Love
When you read the articles, books and other literature from and by the writers you love the most, you'll often find moments of inspiration and it can also spark ideas and associations for ideas and more. Simply put, when you hit writers block, stop writing and start reading. It's one of the best ways to overcome it!

3. Read Good Books on Writing
As a great way to not only help with overcoming your writers block, but also as a way to improve your own reading and writing skills, pick up and read books on writing! Books like Steering the Craft by Ursula Le Guin and The Art of Fiction by John Gardner. These books will help you to come up with new ways of writing too.

4. Take 5 Minutes to Just Write
Even if you're lost for words, completely. Just try to take 5 minutes to write down those fleeting thoughts and ideas that run through your mind. Thoughts are electrical signals and electricity acts very randomly unless it's contained in a wire. And once they're gone, they're gone forever. So write down fleeting thoughts and ideas for later inspiration!

5. Create Realistic Goals
As a way to achieve more writing, more effectively, break down your writing tasks into goals you want to acheive and set a reward for them when you have reached them. That could be to enjoy a cold pint of beer at your local pub or to buy something nice for yourself or even have a celebratory party!

6. Write Badly Very Badly
One of the best ways to write better is to write badly. Write very badly for your first draft and that will give you license to ease your crippling doubts. What does that mean? Well try writing something really badly and not caring about grammar and you'll see what I mean!

7. Mix It Up and Skip It
Do you still have writers block? Mix it up a bit! Instead of focusing on the part you're stuck on, skip it! Skip to the next section, scene, paragraph or chapter. Even start in reverse and work your way backwards. Sometimes when you know what's already going to happen, you can better know the words to write that lead up to it.

8. Use Mind Mapping
Most articles are linear. What that means is they start at the start and end at the finish. They start from the outside in. But instead of writing in a linear format. Try writing from the inside out. Write down your ideas in the center of the page and then branch out ideas from these ideas outwards.

9. Change Writing Location
Sometimes the location where we write can have a massive affect on the quality of our work. For example; writing in a small room with no window might help you focus but wont do much for your creativity. Where as writing in a big room with a big window and view will help keep you inspired and motivated to write more.

10. Make Writing Dates
This is sort of similar to the 1st tip in that you set up writing times. But with a writing date you set up a date to sit down with a fellow writer and both write together in a shared and quiet place. This will help as you can bounce off each other and spur each other on to keep on writing until a certain time when you can put down pen and pick up pint!

Conclusion
Writers block isn't something that needs to be permanent! There are many ways of overcoming it. Honestly, the best tip I could give apart from these here is to stop writing and start reading! But all these other tips should truly help too! I know because I use them myself when I experience and come up against writers block. And if I can, you can too!

Do you use any of these tips when experiencing writers block?

What other tips would you give for overcoming writers block?

Cheers!