Writer's Block

Everyone talks about it. Everyone claims to experience it at some point. So how do you get rid of it when it plagues you?

Writer’s block can be caused by a number of things to different people, so here’s my take on my own causes and remedies.

If the block happens right when I sit down, it probably means I haven't gotten myself in the mindset to write. I combat this with music. Though some can find noise distracting, if I curate a list of songs that portray the feel of the scene I’m currently working on, it acts as a spark to my brain. Once the song is playing, my mind shifts to work mode.

When progress slows during the middle of a scene, I usually find it results from a sparse outline. I either try to trudge through, which rarely works, or I go back to the storyboard and flesh things out (conversations, combat, ect.) until I feel ready to tackle the scene.

If I come to a standstill after an hour or so of writing and my outline doesn't’ need beefing up, that’s when I need a break. I watch Youtube, Twitch, play a videogame, or chill out on the couch and hang with my dogs.

Consistency is key. When I switch from writing a draft to editing and attempt to jump back into drafting again, it takes a while to build up my stamina. It helps me to take things one day at a time. Have a realistic goal. My daily word count when writing is one thousand words. My daily editing goal is twenty-five pages a day. Most days I hit these. Some days I’m under. There are other times when I double or triple my goal. Everyone is different. Just know writer's block isn’t a permanent block.