3 Ways to Blast Writer's Block

For me, the hardest part of writing is not the writing but the starting. I bet it is for you, too.

The blank computer screen can be terrifying, even if you have plenty of material to work with. Sometimes, the more material I have, the harder it is to get started.

There's just so much there — interview notes, research data, background information — a jumble of thoughts and ideas that demand to be put in some kind of coherent order.

You can get past this and blast through the block. Here are three strategies that work for me:

1.  Turn off your brain

Give it a rest and do something physical. Empty the dishwasher, fold laundry, take out the trash — get out of your head and do some small household task that takes a few minutes. When you sit back down to write, you’ll be a little fresher.

That's not just me talking. It's science. Research has shown that physical activity promotes brain health and cognitive efficiency.

Keep it short, though. No day-long garage cleanouts or closet reorganization. Your goal is to take a break from writing, not to completely escape from it.

2.  Trick your body

When I feel overwhelmed by the material and can't seem to dredge up the ambition to turn it into something people can (and want to) read, I just sit down and start typing.

Sometimes I type up my notes. Sometimes I just start typing gibberish. Anything to prime the pump.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

OK, things didn't turn out so well in The Shining when Jack Torrance used that particular jump-start.

(Maybe think of something else.)

After a few minutes, my body thinks it’s writing for real and pretty soon I’ve lost myself in the physical act of writing and I really am writing for real.

3.  Get it all out

Put it all on the screen and don't worry about making it perfect. You can refine it later and tweak it when you practice it.

This is known as the "shitty first draft." You dump it all out of your brain and worry about making it pretty and perfect later.

This is the draft no one else will see. You have room to write whatever you want without fear of judgment by anyone but you (an audience that's plenty tough), so you don't have to worry about what you say.

It's not just an act of desperation, but can be a strategic act even if you're not stuck. Putting down everything keeps from over-thinking. You may find some unexpected nugget of gold that changes everything and makes it all click so the work starts to flow. And soon, you're done.

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Yes, there is a cure for writer's block. And it usually comes down to this:

Just write it. And then write some more.

It's really the only lasting cure.