Three Ways You Can Break Crippling Writer’s Block, & Refocus Your Writing

By: Garrett Mallard

Writing is hard: it requires painstaking focus, a unique combination of creative and analytical thinking, and above all, the motivation to break through procrastination and writer’s block. I find this last issue to be of particular significance because of its alarming prevalence amongst writers of all ability. In this post, I’ll cover three ways you can break crippling writer’s block and refocus your writing.

1.) Change the Scenery

Changing location can be both the simplest and most effective remedy for a lack of creativity. When writer’s block runs deep, and you're completely devoid of inspiration, you’re first step should be to remove yourself from distraction. This isn’t to say that you should turn off all electronic devices and close the door, but rather, that you physically resettle your writing operations to a more writing-conducive environment. Be aware that a writing-conducive environment means different things for different people. For the unimaginative writer, finding a cozy corner space may be detrimental, whereas an environment full of rich scenery may just spark that much needed creativity. It’s a matter of finding the Goldilocks zone. Too cozy, and you run the risk of falling asleep and becoming unproductive; too austere, and you sap your environment of its visual inspiration. Ask yourself: would you feel comfortable writing in an Apple store? Similarly, how about in a coffeehouse (minus the caffeine)? Hopefully the answer for both is somewhere between “no” and “I don’t care”.

2.) Go for a Run

Research continues to correlate short periods of intensive exercise with improved focus and clarity of mind. Don’t believe me? Read this study: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110. If you’re ever feeling the first waves of sleep, or you’ve been working on that one sentence for the past hour, it’s probably time to take a jog. I’ll leave the science to those who can summarize it best.

3.) Free-write

Oftentimes, the right phrase or sentence is just waiting to be released from the dimly lit recesses of your mind. A great way of channeling this untapped potential is through free-writing, wherein you quite literally write everything that comes to mind. It’s a cathartic experience, and is particularly useful for those who consider themselves perfectionists. You get to appreciate the writing as thoughts on a page as opposed to a formal treatise, and it’s especially helpful in connecting distantly related ideas through graphic organization. The stress of a grade is almost entirely eliminated, and with it, the hindrance to creativity.

Works Cited

Godman, Heidi. Harvard Health Publishing, 9 Apr. 2014,

www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110.