Writer's Block
A post about defeating the cursed writer's block
I'm currently working on my NaNoWriMo novel and I am STUMPED at where to go next. So I decided to take a brain break and create a post instead.
What is NaNoWriMo?
National Novel Writing Month, or "NaNoWriMo" for short, is an annual event in which participants attempt to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. The event was founded back in 1999 by Chris Baty and a group of friends in Northern California's Bay Area, and has since grown to become a global phenomenon, with hundreds of thousands of participants every year.
How do you defeat writer's block?
I live to be creative.
I find my ideas during the ordinary comings and goings of my life but sometimes they just aren't there.
This is what I do when I'm stuck on a project.
1. Work on something else. If you're really stuck on a project, take a breather and work on a different project. (See what I did there?)
2. DANCE! I have a TikTok account and I love being a little goofy. Listening to some good music and letting myself let loose really helps. My kids look at me like a wack-job when I start dancing around the house but it truly helps relieve creative tensions.
3. Journal. I have a few guided journals I've been working through right now that I absolutely adore. Here is a link to one I have purchased that I absolutely love.
I also use my art therapy journal to help boost my creativity. You can read the article I have already written down below.
4. Read. It helps take your mind off your work.
5. Listen to a writer's podcast. I love this one on Spotify. It's helped me out in more ways than one. Instead of jamming to music when I take a bath, I listen to one of these and just soak up the bubbles.
6. Take a walk. I find clearing your head is good for your brain when you're struggling with writers block.
7. Take some time and clean up your work space. Reorganize your office or desk wherever you write. Even just clearing up your desktop can be therapeutic and relieving if your brain is maxed out on writing.
8. Just overall be creative. I mentioned before that dancing really helps me out when I'm searching for ideas. Or working in my art journal. But seriously guys just being creative can get the juices flowing. Painting or drawing even just coloring in an adult coloring book for a little while can help kickstart the progress again.
9. Clear yourself of distractions while you write. I know I'm bad for aimlessly scrolling my phone sometimes. Put it in do not disturb mode and plug away at your project. Don't check your emails or your notifications, just spend time working on your project.
10. Compose a list of your favourite quotes and draw inspiration from those. I love doing that actually. I have written a quotes post before that you can view down below. I have a few of them taped onto the wall behind my desk to use for inspiration while I work.
I think that sums up everything I have to say on writer's block for now.
What do you find helpful when you're struggling with writer's block?
Let me know below in the comments.
Thanks for reading.
Chloe Rose Violet🌹
About the Creator
Chloe Rose Violet 🌹
Writing from the heart about love, life, music, mental health, and everything else in between. 💀🥰
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Comments (3)
Loved the honesty at the start. As someone who has been wanting to do NaNoWriMo for so long and been registered on the site since like 2018 or something, after the work I've been doing on Vocal, I decided the time was right for this year to be the year I do it. I had plans to extend a thing I had worked a little on on here, then read the rules about having preplanned stuff but you can't use any writing really you do before November. So on the 1st, started completely blank lol...and just wrote whatever the hell came to my weird head. I have never written a novel before and I doubt I am making it easy on myself, writing it the way I am, but it's not stressing me, so that's good. The tip I rely on most for writer's block is working on something else and taking a break and not worrying about it, which can be had. I wrote my first Arid challenge entry, cos i needed a break from NaNoWriMo. I hope you start feeling like it;s coming together better and wish you well with your own NaNo...:) Thank you for this great post!
I love this and as I read it, I realize it was like checking off a checklist, because I do everything you suggest🥰. Glad to know I'm doing all the right things. How reassuring.
I've been seeing NaNoWriMo almost everywhere and didn't really know what exactly it was so thank you so much for explaining that and all these amazing tips!