Few things are as annoying to deal with as writer’s block. It happens to the best of writers, when story beats you said you’d figure out later come back to bite you. Suddenly, you’re staring at the screen, too deep in an almost-complete Act II to back out but too tied up in your own plot lines to figure out how to move forward.
The first instinct for most writers is to try to take writer’s block head-on and power through the problem. While tempting, that’s usually the worst thing you can do. Ask any seasoned screenwriter and they’ll tell you the problem with having a staring match with your screen – the screen always wins. Instead, you’re better off with a small break that’ll let the analytical side of your brain power off for a bit and let those creative juices start flowing again.
Below, you’ll find a couple of proven ways to take a micro-break and break the block.
Enjoy a Quick Gaming Break
The most frequent cause of writer’s block is getting tangled in your own web. Stories require you to juggle a lot of variables, and putting that puzzle together in your head is no easy feat. Mobile games are a great distraction because they’re the exact opposite. Rather than forcing your brain to piece together ten different things, they lock your focus onto one problem in particular. A few successful rounds of tripeaks solitaire will go a long way towards getting your dopamine flowing and clearing out those mental cobwebs you’ve gotten tied up in.
Change Your Perspective
As a writer, you’re usually stuck in one spot for hours. If you’ve been at your desk for a couple of hours, get up and stretch your legs. Go to the balcony or stick your head out the window for a bit of people watching. Go to the kitchen counter and mull over how to best tackle the next scene while waiting for the coffee to brew. The change to your physical posture and eye level can sometimes be enough to break you out of the thinking pattern you’ve locked yourself into.
It’s Time for a Stroll
While it’s advice we’ve all heard before, taking a walk can be helpful. However, before you go for a stroll, leave your headphones at home. Music and podcasts will take up brain space, which is the opposite of what you want. Walking increases your blood flow, while your brain gets to savor the ambient sounds of your neighborhood. It’s a relaxing activity, and the lack of any distractions means your thoughts will naturally drift back to your story, where you can try to put the pieces together again.
Write Your Woes Down
Sometimes, writer’s block can be a logistics problem. If you get stuck on making a certain scene work, writing down your thoughts can lead to a breakthrough. Grab a pen and outline what you want to do and what’s stopping you from getting it done. Then, do the same with potential solutions and why you haven’t gone with them yet. Taking the time to outline the good and bad can give you some perspective and may result in you finally unclogging the block in your head.
Wrapping up Writer’s Block
With all these methods under your belt, you’ve got better odds than most at finally breaking past the rock impeding your progress. That said, no method is foolproof, and sometimes, reaching out to others and getting their thoughts on what you’re dealing with can be just as effective. After all, fellow writers can have great ideas on how to overcome writer’s block, and maybe their methods work out better for you.