How to Conquer Writers Block

For nearly two years I had writer's block. It sucked. I just couldn't write. No matter how many new ideas, or regurgitated old ones I had I just couldn't pick up the pen to write. The pandemic had just begun and while everyone was discovering new hobbies, I was rebuilding my life from the bottom of the barrel up. It was rough as you can imagine, and as such, I just didn't have the energy, or time to write. I became so depressed, and I felt like I had just spent six years studying the craft of writing for absolutely no reason whatsoever. It was an awful feeling that I wouldn't wish upon anyone, because when you lose passion for something you genuinely love, it is heartbreaking, and to fall in love again is even harder.

But sometimes you just got to push yourself through it. Sometimes you have to tell the intrusive thoughts to simply f*ck off. For me it was a battle after battle within myself: "I want to write, but I'm not good enough. I can't make money off my work, I'm just not good enough. Have I really wasted all this time? Did I pick up the wrong call?"

I thought that was it, I would never write again, especially let people even read it, but alas, here we are! I wanted to talk about this because I realise that all writers have different methods to conquer their writer's block. We are all different, in our style of voice, characters and the universes we create. Some view writer's block as a myth, while I am very much accustomed to the block, and I'm an expert at getting out.

I started Free Writing, just writing whatever came to my head, my hand would write. I would set a timer for six-seven minutes, and see how much stuff could come spewing out of my mind in a short space of time. Once the timer goes off, I would read through what is essentially nothing more than trash, but there's always that one sentence or phrase that stands out. Something original, and new, something to build on.

I use this method as if I am warming up for a gym session. It allows me to get my brain thinking and my creativity ticking. It helps me get into a zone, that I know most of us to find difficult to get into. Our subconscious has its own set of vocab. This is why criminals' choice of words is often questioned as they use words without realising they have used them and well, the rest is history. Tenses, for example. You can release this when you write.

So my advice: Make sure that the pen doesn't leave the page unless it absolutely has necessary. Do not stop. Do not re-read. Do not re-write. The more you do this, the more likely you'll ignore the timer and continue to write. The more quickly you'll be able to write at any whim.

Now if that doesn't get me into the swing of things (which these days are quite rare), then Instrumental Music is my next go-to. I am a fortunate individual that has synesthesia, which helps me in ways I am thankful for and count as a blessing. I allow the music to take my imagination on its own subconscious journey, sometimes what I see is tragic, while other times it is so outstandingly beautiful that it is hard to comprehend into words.

Witching Hours - CLANN

I recommend instrumental rather than lyrical because lyrics can be distracting and could disrupt your own creative process. I have many instrumental artists I listen to regularly. I love instrumental music so much that my second most listened-to genre on Spotify in 2021, was Soundtrack. I love it, and CLANN is my top favourite. Musicians, like us writers, are telling a story through a booming bass line or a stunning violin. Every instrumental I listen to provides a different atmosphere and a different vibe. I like to imagine my characters, the events unfolding and their consequences, it helps me to establish a solid narrative plot, or sometimes I am hit with a short story I didn't even know was there. Music has the power to awaken parts of you, you weren't aware of until listen.

My advice: Find a good instrumental piece, and analyse it in its integrity. If you feel nothing, move on and find another, if you feel like someone has lit a fire in your soul, listen to it again, and allow your mind to wonder. Listen once more to make those visions become concrete. Listen once again while you begin to write what you see. And then congratulate yourself for tapping into your mediumship, and seeing with the third eye.

The Untold II - Succession Studios

Ok, so if none of that has worked and you are still struggling to pick up the pen and write something, think of the most random Top Tens, or listing.

No seriously, top ten ways you could get scammed, top ten ways everything in your bedroom can kill you top ten examples of contraception in the 18th century. Yea I know the most random of all things, but it does get you thinking. Let's take the last one I suggested ten examples of contraception from the 18th century, which opens up a topic, that is unheard of and probably never considered. A topic that is unique, original and informative. A topic which could be relevant today in the argument towards women's health.

You get my gist. Top Tens never fail. You'd be surprised at how many drafts I have of Top Ten this... Top Ten that... trust me. You won't be able to stop once you get going.

Historical photos. Thanks to the internet you can pretty much get any photo from history and save it, screenshot it, or download it to keep. I recently discovered my interest in colourising historical photos, where you take old photos and well add colour. The results would always surprise me, you think this will be this colour and so on, but it never is.

Anyway, historical photos. Find a photo you've never seen before, preferably one that isn't of someone famous. Describe what is happening in the photo, are there people in it? What are they doing, what are their lives like? What happened before and after the photo was taken?

Once you've asked yourself these questions, your imagination should inspire you enough to conjure a great story. And hey if you're like me, colourise the photo afterwards, to see how your perception compares.

Right, if that hasn't got you then take a Walk and go to a Library. We are inspired by our heroes, and books inspire writers. If it wasn't for Lord of the Rings we wouldn't have Game of Thrones. Books, after all, are the greatest weapon. They provide us with a foundation for us to be inspired and informed, we discover a lot about ourselves when reading, if we can relate, if we can understand, and if we are bored or excited. It reveals a lot about our own character which is something we should always draw inspiration from.

Taking a walk to get a new book to get that imagination going seems like an ideal cure to writers' block. What will you see on your walk? How does the air smell? What noises can you hear? Can you feel anything, the gravel beneath your shoes? Can you taste the street food as you pass it on the way to the library?

Better still, stop off at a coffee shop on your way home and read your new book in public to add an element of mystery to your character. Causally people watch and listen in to the conversations of others. Don't be a creep about it, know when to stop earwigging and be respectful. Pretend you're a spy conducting surveillance of the area, how many people are there? What about these people tell you about where you are? Who's working, name badges? What's the time now? The more retained detail the better. It helps for setting, and causally overhearing conversations helps with dialogue and character development.

I'll call that treatment a 3-in-1. Walk. Library. Coffee.

Hopefully, my tips will help someone out there. I always aim to write at least 1000 words a day and read a chapter a day. This helps also, in many ways and not just for writing. Writer's Block is a curse, and it can be conquered.

Here's a list of ten books to get you started: https://vocal.media/geeks/10-books-you-need-to-read-right-now