I have started copywriting at the age of thirteen. The number of times I had to write the same piece of text over and over again is astronomical at this point.
Even if you’re writing unique content every single time, just the act of it can get very repetitive. You get tired of finding ideas to write about, and sometimes you just get stuck on a single sentence, just writing time over time, and it never feels quite right.
Writer’s block can destroy your writing productivity, and you will face it, even if you don’t feel like it right now.
When you realize writer’s block is hitting you hard, it’s important to address it immediately in order not to waste any more time.
Luckily, it isn’t really that hard to get over. In this article, we will discuss some strategies on how you can do it.
1. Take a break from writing and come back to it later with fresh eyes.
This is the easiest way to overcome writer’s block, and I would say it’s my favorite. Sometimes when I sit down to write, I’m super focused and can pump out a 2,000 – word piece in just a couple of hours.
Other times though, I get distracted every 15 words and keep looking at memes on my phone or talking to someone.
Obviously, the latter is not very efficient and ends up wasting me a ton of time.
Just take a break. Do something else. If you have other tasks that don’t require you to think too much, just switch to those for the time being.
This will allow you to recharge mentally, and get back to writing with renewed energy.
2. Write about something else to get the creative juices flowing.
Just as it is important to warm up before a workout, you can do a little writing warm-up to stretch your brain a little bit.
If you have multiple pieces of content in the pipeline, you can start writing one and switch to another one to keep it fresh.
Or, you can just scribble down some nonsense for fun. A tiny story about your worst enemy getting into a terribly embarrassing situation, for example.
This will ease you in the physical process of writing, and get you into a mental state where coming up with creative ideas is a whole lot easier.
3. Talk to someone else about the project to get some ideas.
One of the biggest causes of writer’s block is topics that you’re not very knowledgeable about.
So, before you actually get to writing, you need to do research. If it’s a lot of information to take in, it can be very mentally exhausting, and simply hard to keep track of.
So, if you’re writing about a topic that one of your friends or colleagues is an expert in, just ask them a couple of questions.
Ask them about the most important points to mention, and explain them to you in plain English.
Note down the key points they tell you about – those will be your outline.
Speaking of outlines…
4. Prepare an outline.
Just having an outline makes the whole writing process a lot easier. I used to write articles without first preparing an outline, and sure, it’s doable.
But then you have to keep everything you plan to write about in mind. Your outline doesn’t need to be super-detailed, you can simply note down the 3-to 5 most important points to discuss, and stick to them.
5. Make use of an AI writing tool.
It is 2022, and most business processes are getting more and more automated. Writing is no exception. There are many different tools like Jasper, ProWritingAid, or Open AI that can help you out with writing.
And sure, we aren’t quite at a stage where AI can write whole articles for you, but it’s pretty good.
In fact, this post was written with the help of Open AI. By itself, the text it generates can sound pretty raw, but it’s very good for generating ideas or getting insight on things you aren’t very knowledgeable about.
How it works is you ask the AI a question, and it provides you with a logical answer.
It is especially useful for generating outlines and breaking down complex ideas into smaller, easily digestible points.
It’s definitely not perfect, and your mileage may vary depending on what you’re actually writing about, but it can be pretty impressive.
6. Get Inspiration From Other Similar Content
When you are struggling with writer’s block, it can be helpful to research your topic and look at other similar pieces of content for inspiration.
This can help you to get over writer’s block and write more productively. By seeing how others have tackled similar topics, you can get some ideas for how to approach your own writing.
Additionally, reading other people’s work can help to get your own creative juices flowing and give you some ideas for how to approach your topic.
Analyzing their content can also help you figure out an angle that they haven’t covered, and produce a better article (that is also unique) in the end.
Wrapping Up
That’s pretty much it for getting over writer’s block. It can be easy to get stuck on an article when you’re not very knowledgeable about the topic, so seek inspiration from other content, and ask for help from colleagues.
And if a large portion of your work consists of just writing, definitely consider purchasing one of the many AI writing tools available nowadays. Even if they don’t always produce good content, they are a huge help in the research and outlining process.
Author’s Bio:
Managing brand partnerships at Respona, Vlad Orlov is a passionate writer and link builder. Having started writing articles at the age of 13, their once past-time hobby developed into a central piece of their professional life.
