Got writer’s block? Most writers share a passion for the craft but it’s easy to get stuck, lose your words or become lost in a whirlwind of insecurity or even writer envy.
Break free my friend!
Read through the tips and prompts and take what you need in order to keep writing.
By the way, I’ve added these tips for overcoming writer’s block as a pretty PDF download in my resource library. It’s free to access but you’ll need a password. Just enter your email address in the box below and I’ll send it to you.
Once you’re in the library, navigate to the “writing” section and look for “Tips for Beating Writer’s Block.”
Got writer’s block? Five tips to overcome writer’s block
TIP 1: Take a break. Take a walk. Change your environment.
Article going in circles? Staring at a blank page? Wondering how you’re going to squeeze 500 NEW and INTERESTING words out of your tired, exhausted, drained brain?
Take a break. In fact, go outside and take a walk.
A change in your environment can do wonders for sparking the creative challenges in a writer’s day. Try it. What’s the worst thing that can happen? You get some fresh air?
TIP 2: Feeling stuck? Try handwriting. On paper.
Whenever I need a boost of creativity I take to my spiral notebook. There’s something about handwriting that triggers motor memory in a way keyboard clacking doesn’t.
TIP 3: Work it out in your head when you can’t write.
Staring at a blank document or page is THE worst.
THE WORST!
And beating yourself up about it isn’t going to help. I find doing a mindless activity like gardening or going for a walk works magic for figuring out what to write. And sometimes even sleeping on an idea helps.
It’s so amazing to wake up knowing what you’re going to write. Why not let your subconscious figure things out the next time you don’t know what to write.
TIP 4: Write yourself silly.
I know you think this is not a serious writing prompt, but it is. Because we’re serious about our writing and this seriousness can get into our process and steal away our creativity. And we all know what happens when creativity DOESN’T strike.
Tic toc tic toc…deadline approaches!
Remember to write and write and write and don’t worry about perfection. You WILL write a crap first draft. You just will! And it’s FINE! Write yourself silly and get words on paper.
TIP 5: Write from a stream of consciousness. Using prompts.
Take a random word or phrase and write about it for five minutes. Don’t think, just write. Even if it’s “I don’t know what to write” over and over, keep writing. You will unblock yourself. Fact.
(Keep reading for writing prompts for you to use.)
By the way, make sure to grab this visual reminder from my resource library. I’ve saved it as a PDF download and it’s free, you just need a password to access the library. Just pop your email address into the form below and I’ll send you the password.
Once you’re there, navigate to the “writing” section and look for “Tips for Beating Writer’s Block.”
Actual writing prompts to move forward in your writing
In February 2020 I attended Laura Munson’s Haven 1 Writing Retreat (and I’m so glad I chose February considering how the rest of 2020 went!) and each morning we began by freewriting for five minutes (maybe it was 15?).
And yes, it was on paper, with a pen.
We started by writing a word or short phrase on a piece of paper and putting them in a hat. Then we’d draw a prompt and WRITE.
It was amazing because there was no preparation, no editing and NO judgment. We wrote for the alloted time and then stopped. Full stop, mid-word, mid-sentence, mid-thought.
There were no rules except KEEP WRITING, even if all you wrote was “I don’t know what to write” over and over.
This was such a cool experience and I found it great for unlocking my creativity and getting my mind and body in “writing mode.”
Below I’ve included a list of some of the real prompts from our retreat. Pick one and try it out!
Writer’s block got you down? Here are some writing prompts to help you break through
- Wandering down the wilderness highway
- She was happy
- Starfish live in Oregon
- My heart aches
- I am a vibrational being
- Maybe I believe in magic
- Running makes me very happy
- What I need to say
- My boulderheart is drowning
- Jeepers!
And for next-level accountability, send it to me when you’re done. No judgment on the writing itself (it’s freewriting afterall) but I promise I will celebrate you for WRITING.
40 simple tips for writers
By the way, many of today’s tips are from a MUCH longer list.
I’ve compiled, curated and collected 40 of my best writing tips for you move forward in your writing journey. Take a look through and take what you need to GET WRITING. Hope they’re helpful!
More tips for overcoming writer’s block
- Story Sparks: Finding Your Best Story Ideas [book review]
- How to Create a Writing Schedule [tutorial]
- 5 Unique Ways to Crush Writer’s Block [Hubspot]
One more thing. You may be interested in my free resource library. This is where I keep my files, downloads, ebooks, worksheets and whatever else I manage to create. I love sharing what I learn and want to keep adding to this library so it becomes a wealth of helpful goodness.
This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by popping your email address into the form below.