Writers' block : How Do You Deal With It?

[yommys01]

I started the day wanting to write 8 articles but I just can not write more than 5 due to the idiot call writers' block.

Is there a way I can deal with this problem? This is not the first time this is happening to me and it is killing my business.

[Zeus66]

Don't you hate that? Hits me all the time too.

One thing that has helped me in the past is to stop trying to write about the topic on hand and just go get a bite to eat or listen to some music for a few minutes. When you return, open up a fresh Notepad or Word Document and just write anything. It doesn't even have to make sense. Just start letting some words come from your brain to your fingers without any attempt to construct anything intelligible.

It sounds silly, but I swear it works! Something about the movements and the freeing up of your mind gets things rolling again.

Well, at least sometimes. LOL It isn't 100%.

I feel your pain, man. Good luck!

John

[yommys01]

Originally Posted by Zeus66

Don't you hate that? Hits me all the time too.

One thing that has helped me in the past is to stop trying to write about the topic on hand and just go get a bite to eat or listen to some music for a few minutes. When you return, open up a fresh Notepad or Word Document and just write anything. It doesn't even have to make sense. Just start letting some words come from your brain to your fingers without any attempt to construct anything intelligible.

It sounds silly, but I swear it works! Something about the movements and the freeing up of your mind gets things rolling again.

Well, at least sometimes. LOL It isn't 100%.

I feel your pain, man. Good luck!

John

Thanks for the wonderful post. I will definitely try it out. This writer block can be annoying.

I can't believer I have been here for 4 hours and could only write 5 articles when I normally write at least 8 in 3 hours.

[thunderbird]

I write screenplays, mostly. Articles are a different animal, but writer's block is similar for both beasts.

Sometimes outlining what you are writing about helps. For example
Intro: Carrier pigeons....
Body:
A)Who likes carrier pigeons (or purple whatchmacallits) and why? What do they do with them.
B) Brief history of your topic (Very brief. Write as if it is for attention deficit disorder people)
C) What kind of market is there for carrier pigeons or whatever you're writing about.

Conclusion
Succinctly restate what you just said in 1-3 simple sentences.

[Jamie Orman]

I just ride it out, force myself to think about something else for a while. Give myself a break for an hour or two, then go back into it.

I'm not sure if anyone really has a fail-safe way of avoiding the dreaded writers block. I think it kind of comes down more to what works for you. Try a million different things, one is bound to work. You can even google ways to stop writers block, might come up with a few different ideas.

Good luck, sorry I can't be of more help.

[Michael Silvester]

Hi Mate,

The best and only way to stop writers block is to
just stop writing...its as simple as that.

Let me explain...

I have never had writers block since I started
doing this method.

Record your message to audio and then transcribe
it...or have it transcribed. Or even better...get yourself
a copy of Dragons Naturally Speaking 10. It will type
what you are saying as you talk.

You only get writers block when your writing.

Once you start talking about a subject...you will never
be lost for words. And there is no such thing as talkers block

Your doing it the hard way mate...Just do that simple
trick and you'll never be stuck again.

And what makes that even easier...it to make 4-5 bullet points
to cover during the recording so you stay on track.

Take Care,

Michael Silvester

[jan roos]

Originally Posted by Zeus66

Don't you hate that? Hits me all the time too.

One thing that has helped me in the past is to stop trying to write about the topic on hand and just go get a bite to eat or listen to some music for a few minutes. When you return, open up a fresh Notepad or Word Document and just write anything. It doesn't even have to make sense. Just start letting some words come from your brain to your fingers without any attempt to construct anything intelligible.

It sounds silly, but I swear it works! Something about the movements and the freeing up of your mind gets things rolling again.

Well, at least sometimes. LOL It isn't 100%.

I feel your pain, man. Good luck!

John

Do you still do ghostwriting?

[gyar29]

I give her my credit card and tell her to go shopping. My Treat! Works every time.

Wait my bad, I thought this thread title was "How do you deal with constant intrusions while writing?"

Sorry.

Going away now,
Gene

P.S. Honey if you read this. NOT REALLY. Not a tactic to get you out of the house at all. Just a present because I love you. Honest!

[rankinghero]

I seriously think that if you are serious in this game, you have to outsource all the writing... your time is the most precious thing you have, so why waste in writing, when you can be building more sites during that time...

just my 2 cents

[yommys01]

Originally Posted by rankinghero

I seriously think that if you are serious in this game, you have to outsource all the writing... your time is the most precious thing you have, so why waste in writing, when you can be building more sites during that time...

just my 2 cents

yeah you are right but I don't have the money to outsource for now so I am doing it by myself. At least for now.

[Andrew G Gowans]

Some time ago, I offered warriors a free copy of my ebook - 101 Ways To Cure Your Writing Paranoia which includes tips on dealing with writers block.

Click on the "Suffering From Writers Block" link to get more details but don't place an order, send me a pm and I will forward a copy to you gratis.

Andrew G.

[Kevin Regier]

I usually don't push product on here, but the latest review on my blog is a review for a wonderful report on just this kind of thing. Check it out it may be just what you need.

[jbsmith]

Couple of tips...

1. Take a 15-minute break and do something completely different - then come back to it

2. Outline your writing as a series of questions - our brains answer hundreds of questions each day, it is the way we are wired, so the more questoins in front of you, the more your brain will open up

3. Speak your information to get things rolling, then capture and begin writing

4. Have someone interview you - prepare a few questions and have a conversation that you record - then transcribe

I never experience writer's block anymore using these techniques.

Jeff

[abelacts]

This works for me though contrary to what some have said here. To overcome writer's block, you don't stop writing but continue writing. Write whatever comes to your mind. If you can just write about the topic on hand. Otherwise, let it flow freely. Soon, your block has disappeared without you realize it.

Another method I use to keep the momentum is to write something out of your experience or expertise. This makes writing easier as it comes from you. Then only you move to some other more difficult topics when you pick up the momentum.

[David Chung]

Hmm, well when I have article writer's block it's usually because I can't come up with an article idea and not because I'm in the middle of an article and can't think of what to write.

I find it easier to write when I have a list of brainstormed topics (article titles) to choose from, that way I can pick and choose from the titles that I feel like writing about for that day.

To come up with lots of article titles, you could try combining your subject with:

-A Specific Target Audience (e.g. Golfing for Kids, Men Over 50, Teenagers, Women, Golfing For Left-Handers, Golfing With Your Pet, How To Pretend To Know How To Golf And Impress Your Client/Boss, Golfing On A Golf-Shoestring, Luxury Golfing)

-During Different Occasions/Times (e.g. How To Buy Golf Clubs For Dad (Father's Day), How To Create A Halloween Mini-Golf Course For Kids, Where To Golf In the Summer, Where To Golf In The Winter, Equipment Needed For Night Golfing)

-In Different Locations (e.g. Best Places To Golf In Europe/Asia/Idaho/Little Rock, Golfing In Your Living Room, Learn Lucid Dreaming And Practice Golf In Your Sleep)

-For Different Reasons (e.g. Golfing To Reduce Stress, How To Lose Weight While Golfing, How To Get Laid With Golf)

Basically just answering Who, What, Where, When, Why... I find it easiest to do this kind of creative brainstorming in one long unrestrained session before I ever start writing, then when I get down into the daily grind of actually writing the articles I won't have to keep switching between 'writing mode' and 'idea mode'.

Having a list like this also allows you to see any patterns and create a series of articles around certain topics. Maybe you even want to do this before you plan your categories in your site. That way you have an idea of what you want to write and then you're just placing the articles in groups, instead of creating categories first and scratching your head later on wondering what you can write for each category.

[waken]

I never forces myself to write, if I don't feel like writing or when I'm feeling sleepy but still force myself to write, those articles are just slightly better than rubbish.

So, take a rest doing something else that you enjoy and come back later to continue writing.

[tommen]

When the writers block hits, I go to forums and social sites to see what people are talking about.These are good places to get inspiration and tips.

[cheesy]

Like others have suggested, take a break for like 10 minutes, it should clear your head, go for a quick walk outside or just sit back and relax for a bit. Free your mind

[WritingMadwoman]

I find it helpful to first "meditate" for 5 or 10 minutes - by that I mean block out distractions by putting on headphones or earplugs, sit quietly, focus on my breathing and let go of scattered thoughts. When I've got a lot of projects going on, my mind sometimes feels like an overstuffed filing cabinet and I can't find the thoughts I'm looking for!

After meditating, I just break down the main highlights of each article. Like someone else mentioned, writing questions for those points is a great help because it moves your mind into answering mode and you can come up with 3-5 points to answer each question, then just fill in the blanks - voila, an article!

Then smooth it out and edit later. Don't try to write it "perfectly" the first time, just write what you can and keep reworking it until it flows better and gets the point across.

Write on!

Wendy

[acedalright]

I've been luck in that I've never had the dread w/block. I could write a sonnet about pink noodles if I had to.

Activate your creative center, watch more movies, read more books, paint, listen to music, write music.

Be creative and it becomes a habit

[ajbarnes777]

I got this tip from another member here on WF:

If you get stumped for ideas for articles/posts, try going to Yahoo answers and answer someone's question in your niche. But what to do is use that answer as your article/post instead of publishing it on Yahoo.

I've got a ton of blog posts and articles done ever since I started doing that.

Hope that helps.

[yoshiko]

The trick is to cover a few niches at one time. Then if you get writer's block for one niche, you move on to work on the other niches and get back to the one later. Sometimes it works.

Or you could google your niche, do some yahoo answers, visit EZA. All to get some fresh ideas.

Hope it helps.

Finally, outsource writing if it really becomes a pain for you.

[bozz723]

I look at some of my older stuff and basically emulate it it. Sometimes it sucks though, it is tough to get out of a lot of times.

[Lou Diamond]

Hello,
I read the newspaper to see what is current and then I go from there.

[BigRedNotebook]

I made a realization several years ago: I don't have time for writer's block. Period.

I followed that realization with a decision: I won't experience writer's block. Period.

It may sound crazy, but the simple act of deciding that it was no longer going to be part of my life at the keyboard did a very good job of eliminating it. We all hit a little bump now and then, but the "mind over matter" thing has made a difference.

Beyond the Jedi mind trick thing, here are a few recommendations...

(1) When you're writing, you'll often have neat little ideas about the topic pop into your head. Keep a notepad open while you work. When those ideas bubble to the surface, Alt+tab your way to that notepad and jot it down. If you get stuck coming up for the next topic/article, look at what you have there.

(2) You probably write at least a few "list" articles ("Three Ways to ____", "Five Great Reasons to _____", etc.). Look at the individual points in those articles and write more extensive analyses of those individual list items.

(3) We tend to write from our own perspectives. If you feel stuck, consider trying to approach the topic from the viewpoint of someone else. Putting yourself into the shoes of others can open up a slew of ideas you might otherwise miss.

(4) If you ever DO get stuck, don't let it reduce your efficiency. Switch immediately to another project and keep plugging along. You may be stalled on Project A, but you're still accomplishing something on Project B. That way, any "block" you do experience isn't doing real damage to your efforts.

(5) If your "block" is hitting in the middle of an article (as opposed to rearing its ugly head between them), just keep plugging along. Force your way through the situation. You may need to edit the "battle scene" a little more than most of your text, but you will find a way through it.

Just a few ideas. Good luck.

Carson

[miwriting]

I do a couple of different things to get around writer's block. First, take a mental break from it, even if it's for ten minutes. Just do anything that takes your mind off your articles.

When I come back to it, if I just can't get the article started, I skip the introductory paragraph all together and just jump right into writing the rest of the article. That usually gets the words flowing and then I can go back and fill in the beginning of the article. If I still can't get going, I ask myself what exactly I am trying to say in the article. It sounds silly, but doing that actually clarifies it for me and I'm always able to start writing again.

Lastly, I have a giant list of article ideas that I am always adding to. So if I can't come up with a topic, I just choose one from my list and start writing. The key for me is to constantly add ideas to the list, so I always have a backup.

[gskesavan]

I had this problem when I was started bum marketing. It's easy to deal with. Firstly, how long do you take to write an article? If it's 15 minutes then tell yourself that you can easily sit for an hour without disturbance and write at least 3 articles.

Don't go for a high target because you will mostly end up writing less than usual. So set yourself a decent target like 3 a day and you will write 6. Try it out.

[ExRat]

Hi Yommys01,

Writers' block : How Do You Deal With It?

I write.

Seriously. Just write anything at all - even just meaningless drivel or doodles. After doing it for long enough, you'll decide that it's pointless and you'll start writing something useful.

But if that doesn't work, just write about anything - even if it can't be used for anything monetisable - just get those words flowing. Write about whatever is on your mind - even the fact that you have writer's block.

Once you remind yourself of the therapeutic value by forcing yourself to write, it becomes clear in the mind that it's actually easier than sitting there doing nothing.

I like this quote -

'If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.'

Vincent Van Gogh

So focus your mind on silencing the voice, then say to it - 'Ha ha! - I beat you!'

[Loren Woirhaye]

I ignore it and write anyway.

Don't be afraid to write bad stuff. I write a lot of bad stuff. Some
of it turns out okay because the juices start flowing.

I read a lot. I never run out of ideas for things I want to write
about.

Now, keep in mind, I've taken writing courses, got a B.A. in
English Lit, and I have a lot of practice time under my belt
so even my worst stuff seldom flat-out sucks... but, the
fundamental thing is to keep your mind stimulated.

I'm more interested in writing essays and social criticism these
days than you'd expect, since I write salescopy and market
myself as a copywriter.

Take the idea of writing to make money off the table and
write some stories, some poems. Read good journalism, see
how journalists take a mildly interesting human-interest story
and build it up into a really compelling piece.

Sometimes I just don't feel like writing and I might play
guitar or something for a day or two. The writing muse
comes back.

[wisecrone333]

I usually find if I can get my first sentence right in my head that the rest of the article just flows. Some of the things I try though when someone intrudes (in my case husband, not wife is

1. Start by typing the word "the" then wait and see if anything else comes up, if not type "the" again - type a couple of lines of that and you will start to get mad at yourself so write about that - hey you are writing

2. Don't try to stick to topic - write anything - I sat at my computer one day for more than an hour writing about how mad I was at myself for not staying focused and on task - made good material for my Beat Procrastination book

3. Start by rewriting the first couple of sentences of an article (on topic) that you have already finished - you will find that will focus your mind and it should automatically start working on how you can make this second article different to the first - by changing the focus of the problem (I have writers block) to "How can I change this article" you circumvent writers block automatically

4. Don't beat yourself up about only writing five articles - that is a lot more than a lot of other people can do - just leave it for the day and do something else and you will probably be writing ten articles the next day.

The single best way to get over writers block is to write something - anything at all - the focus that you are looking for will come back soon enough. In the meantime you have five articles finished which is more than I got done today

All the best
Lisa

[Ross Bowring]

They say there's no such thing as writers block, just a writer with nothing to say.

Delve back into your subject area and find some interesting angles and information.

[a3dpiper]

Hi Yommys01,

What an excellent resource of information on how to cope with an all too common problem for many writers! Like others have suggested before, I find when I'm up against the dreaded block it helps me to take a break from the computer; to get up and do some light exercises and stretches or go out for a walk, a jog or a bike ride. Doing some relaxation methods and deep breathing exercises along with twenty or thirty minutes of self-hypnosis works well for me also.

In the process of actual writing though, write without being critical of your work. No self-editing is allowed. Like others have suggested here, just write. Write down anything and everything that comes to mind, just keep the process flowing. Then later go back in and start the editing/proofing process.

Sometimes, I've found it helps to re-write something else. Something you've already completed previously; or maybe, pull something out of your swipe file and re-write it from beginning to end.

Consider using software like J. Leger's "Answer Analyst" for your topic at hand and gather background information specific to your work in progress and re-write and re-write again. Use something like Power Article Rewriter when you get stuck and then begin to work back through re-writing what you've already got down. There's some headline creation apps around that you can use to brainstorm new titles and key ideas.

[Yudi]

Personally, I think that most writer's block is just about running out of ideas.

So when your ideas are missing, go use someone else's instead.

Go look at other blogs, articles, videos, podcasts etc in your niche and listen to their content. When you find something good, just rewrite it in your own words.

If you use this method, there's no need for creativity or thoughtfulness of any kind. You simply take their idea and rewrite it in your own words for your market.

Think about yourself as a publisher of information rather than a writer. Your role is that you go out and find all the good info that people want but can't find on other websites and then communicate it to them in an easy to understand way.

[Arlin Audrain]

Lots of good ideas on this thread. I agree with Michael: It's easier to keep ideas flowing by talking them rather than typing them. I carry a small pocket recorder (yeah I know...I'm a geek) to record thoughts or "seed" ideas. Most of my inspiration comes while driving or working on other projects. I talk and think much,much faster than I type with my "two finger handicap", so this interrupts the flow. When I can recruit my daughter who types faster than I talk, we can set records.

I haven't tried the talk/type programs, but I've wondered...

[pheonix44]

I heard a good saying that goes like this, it is called the 6 P rule,"Prior Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance". If you properly plan what you are going to write then you'll find that each idea gives way to what could be several more articles. This happens to me all the time.

[Ross Bowring]

Originally Posted by jbsmith

1. Take a 15-minute break and do something completely different - then come back to it

Simple but effective tip. I find just getting out of my throne and going down stairs for a snack can re-set my creative juices if I'm flagging.

[bg-011]

R-E-L-A-X
move away from everything , then allow your subcon-mind to lead you

[Ross Bowring]

One more tip: discover your most productive, most alert "writing hours". For me it's between 9am and 12pm. Find your own time and write - as best you can - without interruption.

[Anthony J Namata]

Hi,

I take it you're writing articles on your niche? Well, whatever niche you write about, you will find inspiration, updated on the hour, at Google Trends: Aug 27, 2009 Matter of fact, when you lay down in traffic by publishing topics around what people are actually searching for, you get more traffic!

Hope that helps,

Anthony

[Ross Bowring]

Originally Posted by Anthony J Namata

Hi,

I take it you're writing articles on your niche? Well, whatever niche you write about, you will find inspiration, updated on the hour, at Google Trends: Aug 27, 2009 Matter of fact, when you lay down in traffic by publishing topics around what people are actually searching for, you get more traffic!

On that same bent, use the Google News search function. Find a news story that ties in to your niche and away you go.

[HeySal]

Writer's block is often more of a physical condition than a mental one. For some reason your neurons aren't firing as normal. This condition can be due to fatigue from lack of sleep. It can also be from fatigue caused from lack of exercise.

Walk it off. Take a brisk walk. Leave your phones and your music at home. Once the blood starts flowing faster it will wake up sluggish neurons and you will find your mind starting to wander. Let it drift where it wants to - you will probably have the whole article figured out by the time you get home.

You can also take note that rituals help prepare the mind for the task ahead, and many people have rituals they haven't even taken note of. I clean the house a bit, then put on a white dress shirt and pour myself some coffee just before I write. One author (can't remember who at the moment) couldn't write until he had the scent of apples wafting through his writing space. Figure out what your rituals are and make sure to practice them before you sit down to write each time so your brain will pick up the cue that it's time for that task and will prepare itself.

Toxins will cause writer's block very quickly. Make sure you are eating foods with as few additives as possible, and clean your home with natural products such as baking soda, salt and water, and vinegar. Wear natural cloth when you write - if not always.
There is a test you can do to see how toxic something is to your system. Put your arm out straight with your palm up and have someone push down on your arm while resisting them. Then hold on to something and have them try again. If you don't have as much strength with that item touching your hand, it's toxic to you. If you lose physical strength from it - don't you suppose you are losing mental strength, too?

You can do the same with an area - stand outside of the area and do the raised arm test - then walk into your work area and see if you have the same strength there - if not - fix your area so it doesn't drain your energy level to be there.

Now - if you've paid attention to the fact that writing is a brain process and your brain works best when the physical body also is, yet your ideas just aren't flowing -- start talking about the subject outloud. Talk to your dog (he'll be thrilled even if he doesn't understand). Talk to your computer, talk to the walls. You'll look mad as a hatter, but........spoken language is instinctual. Any time two individuals are raised together without outside interference, they will develop a spoken means of communication. Many whole societies, however, have functioned just fine and dandy without writing. So take your subject to an instinctual level and talk about it out loud - you'll be surprised how quickly you can talk out the perfect angle and wording for your writing.

[Anthony J Namata]

Originally Posted by Ross Bowring

On that same bent, use the Google News search function. Find a news story that ties in to your niche and away you go.

Nice pointer too that. I tend to spin whatever is hot. Article titles can also make a huge difference in the clickthru rate.

[thunderbird]

Often information on the Internet is repeatedly regurgitated, and that can get really stale. If you need to refreshen your mind and get your creativity flowing again, try reading books (alien concept, I know) to find original material and ideas, or interview people.

[Dennis-White]

Play my ipod and just write, I choose a keyword and just let my fingers run. I don't care about format or grammar but instead just get the content from my brain out on the screen. Trust me it works

[yommys01]

Originally Posted by HeySal

Writer's block is often more of a physical condition than a mental one. For some reason your neurons aren't firing as normal. This condition can be due to fatigue from lack of sleep. It can also be from fatigue caused from lack of exercis

You got it right. The problem was fatigue and hunger.

I am observing a prayer and fasting period ( no I am not a Muslim) and was so hungry and tired which I think contributed to why I could not write more than 5 articles. I think I will take it easy till I finish this fasting and prayer session.

[dsmpublishing]

I always find that planning in advance works an absolute treat.

Say when you are doing other jobs online and you think im really good at XXXX so when i write an article next week the title will be XXX always works really well. Also if you are in the make money online niche you will see many people making common mistakes that annoy you and if you write these down over the course of the week you have the top 5 mistakes that you should avoid as an internet marketer etc.

Also when you read other peoples material whether its on websites, blogs or article directories that should give you a few ideas. If you see a good article about viral marketing and you believe you can do a better job go and do it.

Right now i do about 5 articles a day (25 a week) and i have a notebook full of future articles that i have thought of during different times. Even when i have been cooking my dinner or playing on the beach.

kind regards


sam
X

[Andy Jenkins]

I get excrutiating writers block. It's bad.

The only way that I've learned to deal with it (and it's worked for me every time), is to create a conversation about the topic you want to write about.

I wrote screen plays and telecasts for a lot of years, and I always found it easy to create narrative in terms of a conversation between 2 people.

When I started writing articles, or blog posts, even copy - I got hung up.

So, I thought about what a conversation about the article or blog post might be like if 2 people were talking about it - one telling the other their opinion about "it" and the other asking questions.

I'm not sure if it ever helped the quality of my writing, but it did make it possible, at least.

[David Hamer]

Originally Posted by Andy Jenkins

So, I thought about what a conversation about the article or blog post might be like if 2 people were talking about it - one telling the other their opinion about "it" and the other asking questions.

I'm not sure if it ever helped the quality of my writing, but it did make it possible, at least.

Trust Andy to find a wacky way of sorting things out - brillliant idea though - not often you see two people merrily chatting away and then stop due to conversation block! Actually I do know someone... but anyway it is unusual!

I personally use Mindmaps if I'm stuck - either pen and paper or on screen. It's a great way of finding topic ideas, sub topics, sub sub topics etc. I don't know how it works but it does.

The other thing is get using Google Reader or something similar - it's a fantastic way of receiving tons of up to date info from blogs, video or whatever and it's pretty easy filtering out the stuff you really want to see - ideas will always emerge from there.

Best wishes - Dave