How to beat writer’s block in lockdown
Writer’s block can strike at any time and is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Even the most accomplished writers will have experienced it at some point in their lives. But what is the cause of this mental brick wall and, more importantly, how can we take a sledgehammer to it?
This feeling of creative anxiety has many causes, especially in our current lockdown situation. The pandemic has meant that we’re cooped up inside more, not experiencing new things as often, and feeling a lot of underlying stress. All of these factors can contribute to the dreaded brain fog and can leave us feeling a little uninspired.
Some causes of writer's block:
- Fear
- Stress and anxiety
- Feeling distracted
- Perfectionism
So how do you shift these feelings and find inspiration?
If you Google ‘How to beat writer’s block’, many blogs tackle the question with suggestions like ‘work in a different location’ and ‘meet up with friends’ - things we unfortunately can’t do during a global pandemic. That’s why we’ve created an updated list of solutions to help you with your writing in our current strange reality...
11 tips on how to beat writer’s block in lockdown:
1. Stretch!
Sometimes movement is the best medicine. Stretching out and waking up the body can have the same effect on the mind. Why not try some ‘power poses’ or find a little artistic expression with this yoga practice? These can give you a much needed boost of confidence if you're feeling a little unsure of yourself.
2. Drink water
Since our brains are about 75% water, it’s important to stay hydrated for a healthy mind. It was easy to remember to drink water when we were going into work - we were in a routine and it was a very welcome screen break. In lockdown, however, we’re eating, sleeping and working at unusual times and very often taking a water break goes out the window. Make sure you always have a full cup of H2O on your desk whilst you write to keep your brain in tip-top condition.
3. Change your environment
We might not have the luxury of writing in a café or in the park at the moment, but simply changing a few things about your environment can have a huge impact. Try switching up the room that you’re writing in for example. Move between the garden, the sofa or the dining table (heck - even try writing in the bath to gain a new perspective!). If it isn’t possible to switch rooms, try moving the furniture around for a different Feng Shui.
4. Find some new music to listen to
It can be very easy to listen to your favourite artists on repeat for months because you’ve found your musical happy place. That’s great! Don’t cast out those tunes. We just encourage you to broaden your horizons and explore some new sounds to jump start your imagination. Instrumental music can be particularly good to write to, since lyrics can often be distracting.
5. Get some fresh air
If you’re not isolating, go on your daily walk or run just at the point where you feel your motivation waning - that should give you the boost you need to start that next chapter. If you can’t leave the house and don’t have a garden, try sitting on your doorstep or on a window sill, feeling the sun on your face and watching the world go by for a bit.
6. Take a shower
We come up with our best ideas when we are relaxed and not distracted. That’s why a lot of people report having their best ideas in the shower. Try it next time you’re drawing a mind blank, and be sure to write down any ideas that come up as soon as you get out.
7. Create a vision board
Sometimes it might be easier to lay out ideas visually rather than writing them down as words on a page. Grab some coloured pens and paper and map out your thoughts in a more tangible and visual way. Once your planning is done, you might find the words flow more freely.
8. Remove distractions
The enemy of creativity is distraction. And being cooped up at home with the rest of the family or your housemates every day, unfortunately makes distraction a lot more likely. If you can, shut yourself away for a couple of hours with a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door, it can really help. Social media is also an excellent procrastination tool and can really suck you in. I’m sure we’ve all lost hours of our lives to the scroll. Flora is a great app to use to encourage you not to use your phone when you’re trying to focus.
9. Read examples
You can’t be a writer if you’ve never read any writing. The best inspiration comes through consuming a variety of literature on a daily basis. Read short stories, read novels, read magazines, read blogs. There might even be something in the news that sparks your imagination.
10. Remove your inhibitions
Now we don’t want to condone excessive drinking, but a glass of wine can be helpful to reduce your inhibitions. Many people get writer’s block because they are afraid of starting. If this is you, then it’s time to loosen yourself up and shrug off that self doubt. If you’re not a drinker, dancing in your room like no one’s watching has just the same effect.
Just start writing
If, after all of this, you’re still not able to unblock your mind, you have one last resort: the failsafe, guaranteed way to overcome your writer’s block. It’s definitely not what you want to hear and it’s not going to be easy, but trust us, it will work.
You overcome writer’s block by writing.
Fill up that daunting blank page with anything that pops into your head, even if it doesn’t make sense at first. It doesn’t need to be beautiful, it just needs to be written. Try it a few times and just notice what comes up, you might catch a half formed idea or a phrase and that might snowball into the crux of your story. Trust the process and don’t try to make it perfect the first time.
… and that concludes our 11 tips on how to beat writer’s block. Use these tools whenever you feel stuck or uninspired to shake up your mindset. Movement, lowering your inhibitions and removing distractions are key, but the most important tip of all is the one you’ve been avoiding: Just start writing.
Good luck!
X
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Looking for some more inspiration? Need a bit of extra writing help? Check out our podcast mini course for some more hints & tips on writing short stories: anchor.fm/happyldnpress
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