What to Do When You Have Writer’s Block
Being a copywriter puts a lot of pressure on your ability to create high-level content, so when you have writer's block it can feel really overwhelming! I get writer's block when I've been working on multiple detailed writing projects in one sitting, when I feel like an inadequate writer (hello Imposter's Syndrome, my old friend), or sometimes just when I'm exhausted and burned out!
When writer's block is preventing me from completing projects for my clients, I take a step back and go through a simple process to reset my brain and free up space to write again. There is no instant, sure-fire writer's block cure, but these strategies can help ease the effects and free up your mind to stop stressing and start writing again.
Slow Down and Relax
The first thing you need to do when you have writer's block is slow down, take a deep breath, and let it go. Stressing about writer's block can send you spiraling because that stress will make overcoming writer's block even more difficult. A stressed out brain struggles to focus on anything beyond the stress itself, so you need to release that tension so your brain can actually focus on being creative!
Sometimes simply closing your eyes and practicing deep breathing for five or ten minutes is all you need to get back on track. If not, try taking a less creative and more practical approach to your writing project.
Get a Broader Perspective
More often than not, my approach to writing is very natural and flowing. I just start writing with a bare bones outline in mind and maybe a few subheadings planned out. This creative flow approach just doesn't work when I'm feeling blocked, though! If I'm struggling to get started or hit a wall in the midst of a blog, caption, or piece of website copy, creating a physical outline helps me align with the goal of my writing and not get lost in the words.
Create a basic bulleted outline of everything that needs to be in the piece of writing you're working on. Key tips and strategies you're sharing in your blog, the questions you're aiming to answer (and the answers to them!), keywords for SEO, or the basic events of the chapter in your novel. Once you have an outline ready to go, you may find yourself inspired to write! However, if writing an outline is equally overwhelming or just doesn't do the trick, I've got one more trick up my sleeve before abandoning my keyboard altogether.
Write for Fun!
You probably pursued a career in writing because you love it, but no one enjoys their job all the time! Taking a step back from your paid gig to rekindle your love of writing for the sake of writing allows your creativity to flow in a low-pressure situation where you can just have fun! No one has to see what you write, it's just for you to create and explore words in your own way.
You don't need a clear starting point. One practice I love is Morning Pages, where you just sit with a blank notebook and write whatever comes to mind until you've filled out a certain number of pages. It can be utter nonsensical garbage, but it physically gets all the clutter out of your mind.
If you prefer to have guidance on what you write, try one of these resources for finding inspiring writing prompts:
Writer's Digest has hundreds of creative prompts
Magic Realism Bot generates unique prompts every 4 hours
Writer Motivation is a subreddit for writers to support and inspire one another
Sometimes all you need is a new word. Fantastic Vocab generates new words and meanings to get your creativity going!
Writing Prompts is another Twitter account that shares unique prompts to help you write. The most recent one right now? "I was a teenage bigfoot…and so was my sister."
Do Something Else
Up until now, all of my suggestions have involved some amount of writing, and you may be so blocked and stressed out that the last thing you want to do is write! If that's the case, it's time to walk away from your computer and come back later. Here are a few things I do if I need to take a real break and decompress:
Go for a walk outside - the fresh air and sunshine can work wonders!
Drink a glass of water
Eat a healthy snack, like veggies with hummus
Have a ten minute dance party all by yourself!
Read a [fun] book
Try a new creative project (Creative Coach Liz Sanders has a great guide for this!)
Whatever it is for you, avoid activities that are more distracting than refreshing, like watching TV or scrolling social media. You'll just end up feeling guilty about wasted time and won't have given your brain any real rest. If the project you're feeling blocked on doesn't have a looming deadline, it might be best to step back for a day (or more) and revisit it after a good night's sleep. I like to do all the research and write an outline for a blog post one day and wait until the next day to actually write it in full.
If you do have a deadline coming up soon but just know you won't be able to make it, don't be afraid to ask for more time! My clients have always been very understanding if I've needed more time on a project, and it has helped us to work out reasonable expectations for how much time I need to complete an equivalent project in the future.
Listen to Your Body
If you have writer's block, it's a sign that you need to slow down. Writer's block isn't some evil disease or betrayal of your brain - it's a symptom of high stress, depression, or anxiety. If you are experiencing blocks like this more often than not and none of the ideas here are helping, you may need to seek professional help. This can mean outsourcing some of your work to a fellow copywriter, editor, or virtual assistant, or it can mean seeing a therapist. Your problem may not be workload or stress - it may be rooted deeper. Allow yourself to ask for help, and don't try to just push through it on your own!
