14 Ways to Cure Writer’s Block

A blank page is a daunting thing, but sometimes the full page is even worse. You’ve gotten the words out, and now it’s time to move forward. Edit, rework passages, and refine the voice of the piece. There’s just one problem. You’re stuck. How do you take a work in progress and move to the next step when you have no idea how to get there?

I’ve found a few things that help.

14 Ways to Cure Writer’s Block

• Print it out and pick up a red pen. Be your own editor. I have found that I get stuck when I limit my work to only the computer. The printed version makes it feel more real, more tangible.

• After printing it, you can even cut pieces out and move them around. I’ve heard Scrivener is a great digital way to do this. I have not used it, but I hope to invest in it someday. In the meantime, I’ll use paper and scissors.

• Send it to a friend or fellow writer and ask for an honest opinion. Ask them specific things: Does this particular passage work with the theme of this piece? What places could use more detail? (etc.) Sometimes you just need another pair of eyes.

• Make an outline. This may be something you prefer to do at the very beginning. My husband works this way. When he writes, he likes to structure things before he gets started. I don’t know what I want to say until I start writing. I see what comes out, and then structure it.

• Use a white board to jot down some ideas or map out your project. I like to draw diagrams, such as a bubble diagram.

• Pull out some magazines and make a collage that reflects what you’re writing about. Putting away the words and focusing on visuals helps me.

• Step away. Take a walk. Let it marinate.

• Do something else creative. Paint. Color. Pick up a guitar. Take some pictures. Play with Legos. Create something besides the story that is driving you crazy.

• Take a shower. Good ideas always come in the shower. If you’re worried about losing that breakthrough, get some shower crayons so you can jot down notes.

• Eat a snack. If you’ve been working for a while, your stomach is probably growling. I know I can’t think clearly on an empty stomach.

• Pray.

• Take a nap. Great ideas come in that sweet spot between awake and asleep. Keep a notepad by the bed to jot those ideas down.

• Clean. Sure, this may be a procrastination tool, but I have found that clutter impedes my creativity. I can’t work in a dirty, cluttered space. If nothing else, at least clean up your desk or writing space.

• Write something else. Maybe you just need to work on something different for a while.

Question: What ideas do you have to move past writer’s block? How do you move forward when you feel stuck?

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