What to Do When You’re Stuck

Feb 12, 2019 | Better Writing

You know the feeling. There you are watching the cursor blink. You’re supposed to write. You want to write. But nothing is happening. You’re stuck.

We’ve all been there. Everyone who writes has times when the words just won’t come. There’s no one guaranteed solution. The following ideas work for many writers. They may work for you.

Try Starting Over

If you’re partway through a blog post or a chapter, and hit a wall, try starting over. If you start fresh, you may go down a different writing trail where there’s no problem. Or you may develop the momentum that takes you right through the block.

Try Freewriting

Just start writing about any old thing that comes to mind. Usually, your subconscious will catch up with your worries. Suddenly, you’ll start writing things that help your project.

Do Something Else

Sometimes, you just need a little space. Start on another project. Tidy up your workspace. Do a little unrelated research. Crank out a few pushups. Spend time on something else and your solution may be clear when you return to your writing.

Meditate

Simple mindfulness meditation clears your mind and sets you up to write again. A couple of minutes is probably all you need.

Take A Walk

This one is my favorite. My dog loves it when I’ve got writing problems, because she gets more walks than usual.

Walking is a proven way to get ideas and clear your head. It’s best to walk outside.  Choose a place like a park, where your mind can roam free and not worry about stop lights, traffic, or pedestrians. That’s the best, but any walking will do.

Bottom Line

You will get stuck. It happens to everyone who writes. Try these proven ways to get unstuck. If you develop a favorite, always use that one first, but keep the others in reserve.

Sign Up For Blog Posts Via Email