5 Unique Tips To Help Avoid Writer’s Block

Everyone becomes a writer at some point during their lifetime. It truly doesn't matter for what the reason is, whether it's writing a paper for school, a report for your job, or a book you want to publish. You are a writer in some capacity. 

With that said, being a writer isn't always the easiest thing to do. Trying to finish before a deadline, researching topics for papers, trying to balance multiple characters and what to do with them. A lot goes into being a writer, a lot more than people initially think. However, there is one devil within the field of writing that everyone dances with... and that is Writer's Block. 

The worst part about writer's block is that there are multiple forms to it, not just one, which means everyone encounters it. It can take the shape of struggling with how to move forward in an essay, or it can be having a tough time restructuring a sentence that could make or break your report to your boss. 

Well, that's what I'm here for, right? As someone who wants to be a career writer, I know a thing or two about writer's block and how to avoid it.

Here are five unique tips to help avoid writer's block in any situation. 

1. Go And Do Something Non-Writing

Sometimes the best thing that you can do while stuck in the depths of writer's block is to step away for a little while. Take a break, eat a snack, go for a run and get the blood pumping. It truly does not matter what you choose to do, but being away from your piece might benefit you. 

There truly are many different ways to do something "non-writing," as I titled this portion. It's up to you and whatever you're comfortable or allowed to do. If you're at work, then maybe take your lunch break and go for a stroll through the city to your favorite deli. Writing an essay while stuck in your room? Go play some video games or do some reading.

The possibilities of what you can do are endless, just pick one and choose the one you think will help you the most. 

2. Close Down Internet Browsers

Ah yes. The Internet, what a blessing and a curse in some cases. In this scenario, it falls underneath the curse category. With so many different resources, streaming services, and social media, there are plenty of ways to get lost in the vast plethora of material that is the Internet.  

With all of these different ways to access and use the Internet, people are bound to get distracted when they are trying to accomplish something, whether it's work, schoolwork, or just trying to write an email. There are plenty of extensions to Google that can prevent you from getting distracted. 

Extensions like Freedom, a site blocker, will prevent you from exploring the Internet to keep you focused. Another extension called Ommwriter creates a natural environment that makes it seem as if you were alone, therefore creating an easier process from thought to paper. There is also an app called Cold Turkey.

I have recently discovered this app through social media and have discovered that this app literally locks everything else on your laptop or computer until you reach your writing goal. The app's name is Cold Turkey and can be downloaded from their website. It certainly sounds like a good way to get rid of your writer's block if you can't surf the web.

3. Go And Talk To A Friend 

There is no shame in asking for help from a friend when in a bad case of writer's block. This spot can also be correlated with doing something non-writing, but I think it deserves a spot of its own. Talking to a friend can help take your mind off what you're stuck on while trying to accomplish your work. 

Go get something to eat with them, grab some coffee at Starbucks. Sit and talk with them for a while to try and forget about what was keeping you stuck. Being away from the situation and coming back can really help cure the block in your mind. 

Another way to use your friend is to ask them for help. A set of two eyes is better than one set, after all. They might even be able to offer some much-needed perspective that you might have been missing while facing your writer's block. 

Take whatever help that you can get because writer's block can sure be a pain.

4. Drown Out The Noise 

Try to eliminate any excess noise while writing. Eliminate the outside distractions that could take your focus off of your writing. Writer's block is a very tricky thing to deal with, and if you truly lock in and focus on your work, then you might be able to break through that mental wall faster. 

Put some noise-canceling headphones on or lock your office door while your family is home. Bothersome and unnecessary distractions might leave you frustrated and could further increase the writer's block. Sometimes a little bit of intense thought and focus is all you really need in order to breakthrough.  

5. Write Something Else

The final entry on the list seems a bit redundant, but it does have its purpose. Now, before you start thinking, "How am I supposed to write when I'm in the middle of writer's block?" Or "Yeah, as if it's that simple." Well, yes, the answer is that simple. Write something else! Again, whether it's a work report or an essay for school, there are most likely multiple parts to it, right? 

For example, if you're stuck on how to proceed with your first body paragraph in an essay, go work on the other two. Go make touch-ups to your introduction, proofread for grammatical mistakes. The options are endless for schoolwork. 

The same applies to work reports and things of that nature. Go work on another part of the report if you're stuck. It applies the same principle as going out to meet with a friend. Stepping away from something for a short while and going back to it can certainly help whisk the writer's block away. 

Many writers have different techniques to help rid themselves of writer's block, but if you keep on writing, you will be able to move past it quicker. 

There are so many different tools, tricks, and tips available to you when you get stuck during the process of writing. Sometimes the most obvious and simple thing will do the trick, like just writing, while something like doing something non-writing might not work. 

It depends upon the writer and how their mind works. Like how every person you met is different, that inherently means that every writer is going to be different. Within the field of writing, writer's block is quite the problem everyone is going to encounter at some point in time, most likely more than once. 

It's, unfortunately, an inevitable step that every writer needs to know how to overcome, and these tips can help you towards the path that helps you overcome the obstacle that is writer's block.