For writers, there comes a point when you just can’t write. No despair, though, here are five ways you can actually beat writer’s block!
by Aisiri Amin
We have all been there. That moment when you give up and put your pen down, shut your laptop, or keep that precious typewriter in the back of the cupboard. Your mind gives up, exhausted with all the trying and you can’t even write one sentence more. That frustrating feeling is writer’s block.
So, what do you do when there is a deadline approaching and the familiar writer’s block appears? You fight it, of course. We have listed out a few ways you can tackle it and successfully overcome it!
1. Distract Yourself
If painting is your thing then get lost in the world of colours or you can just put on some music and dance it out. Do whatever makes you happy and for once, let yourself be in that moment. Stressing over something that you have no control over will get you nowhere. So, for now, keep that aside and enjoy doing something else.
Go for a walk, drive around aimlessly or catch that sunset that you have been wanting to see for a long time. Ideas can be found anywhere. You might find some in the bonnet of your car, in the bustle of the city or the pause that a sky full of stars brings with it.
2. Meditate
Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, loosen up and free your mind. Play soothing music if that helps or a sound that helps you focus. Meditation is all about finding peace within yourself while letting go of all the stress-inducing thoughts.
Nowadays there are a number of apps such as Stop Breathe & Think: Meditate and Smiling Mind available to help people meditate.
3. Internet to the rescue
Open your laptop and let the Internet be your guide. From Pinterest to StumbleUpon, saviours are at every corner of the web world. Read beautiful thoughts on Artidote, browse through the minds of creatives on Tumblr, watch an inspiring TedTalk on YouTube, create your to-do list on Bucketlist, lose yourself in the thought-provoking website Live Learn Explore or just Do Nothing For Two Minutes, literally.
There are a zillion websites that can inspire you, refresh your mind and hit you with ideas. So go explore, you never know what you might come across.
4. Read
Pick up that dusty book, pull out your kindle from the bag, make yourself a cup of tea, curl up and read. Let some other world take you in for now. The words, the characters, and the story might just be what you need right now.
If you don’t want a long read then go through random articles on Medium. Be it fiction, politics or the arts, there are stories waiting to be read everywhere.
5. Start Penning Down Random Thoughts
Finally, just write down whatever comes to your mind, however random it might seem. Scribble, doodle, write or draw. Let the flow of thoughts be organic, don’t think about it. From these disorganised thoughts, the idea you were looking for might surface. Letting your thoughts flow, unhindered, is important in overcoming writer’s block.
It’s often the stress, the anxiousness about writing that creates the block. So, once you let your mind free, thoughts will start to flow.
Aisiri Amin (she/her) is an independent journalist specializing in gender, culture, and social justice. She is a struggling optimist, trying to understand the world through cinema, books, and travel.