When the Words Won't Come: Overcoming Writer's Block

Photo by Creative Commons user jcolman

Overcoming Writer's Block is something all Bloggers deal with. Whether it's a lack of time, creativity or overall self-belief, there are days when it feels like your faucet of words has just run dry.

No matter how hard you twist the tap, you get a big, fat sink-full of nothing.

For me, my recent case of writer's block has been due to all of the above factors. The combination of having a new baby, struggling to get a new business off the ground, and other various stress points have caused this blog to grow a little stagnant as of late.

It's hard to find time. It's hard to find motivation. It's hard to care.

The funny thing is, I know how to get past writer's block. You probably do too. We just don't want to face it, because we all know that it's like any other bad habit that has to be broken -- it requires hard work if we want to fix it.

I'm preaching to myself, but here are the steps:

Write Down as Many Blog Topics as You Can

It's not the normal way of doing things, but sometimes, it's helpful to go backwards. Write down your blog titles and headlines before you write the stories.

You'll be surprised how it jumpstarts your "creativity engine."

Don't take it too seriously. Some of your ideas are going to be bad. I mean, really. You'll come up with blog ideas that straight up suck. That's okay. You don't have to use them all.

But, I promise, you'll come up with at least a few gems. It will help focus your writing, and you may even come up with some of the best stuff you've ever written.

When You Write, Keep Going

The temptation is to just write one blog post at a time. But, let's be honest, when you're really busy, those windows of opportunity are an absolute Christmas Miracle.

For me, a silent break in the action almost never comes. When it does, I need to start doing a better job of hammering a few posts out.

The other positive benefit is that having a stockpile of content keeps the momentum going. If you've got several posts stored and ready to be published, the task of keeping your blog rolling will seem less daunting.

Keep It Short, Stupid

Alright, so I know that's not how the acrostic goes, but it applies in this scenario. You don't have to always write 1000 words. It's okay if you just write something short, sweet and to the point.

Look at Seth Godin. He's one of the best in the business. He gets more traffic in a day than you or I probably get in a month. And, rarely, does he ever post anything over 400 words.

It's freeing to write short posts, and your audience actually likes them. I promise.

Try it. It works.

Don't Overthink Hitting Publish

"Paralysis by Analysis" is something that plagues most bloggers and writers, in general. We sit and think if we're hitting our target market. We wonder what kind of traffic we'll draw. Is this going to be a post that brings new visitors and subscribers?

Who cares?

Seriously. You're not doing anything right now, anyway, right? Just write. Be truthful. Don't worry about being popular with your blog. Geniuses rarely get to enjoy their own popularity while it's in its prevalence. (At least that's what I tell myself and how I rationalize my abysmal lack of popularity on the internets.)

Do a quick spellcheck. Eyeball it for grammar. Make sure you said what you wanted to say, but don't torture yourself with the weight of sending it off into the world wide web for critics to rip it to shreds.

If you're doing anything worth a crap, the critics will come, and they will be merciless. The trolls will trolls. Haters gon' hate.

Etc., etc.

Just publish it already!

Just Write!

It's trite. I know this. But, the simplest way to get over a writer's block is to simply WRITE.

I love basketball. I grew up around the game. I played since I could walk. I love playing. I love coaching. I love watching.

One of the things you'll hear, often, in the game of basketball, is that a shooter has to "shoot his way out of a slump." 

It's true, too. A shooter has to shoot. He's doing no one any good by passing it off when he's wide open in the corner. He's gotta shoot the rock.

It's the same for writers. You're not getting better by taking time off. You need the repetition. You need the adulation. You need the harsh criticism.

Writing isn't easy, but that was never why you started writing in the first place.

What are some things you do to overcome writer's block?