Writer’s block happens to the best of us. There are days when writing is a struggle and there are no new ideas to be had.
Don’t submit to the drudgery of writer’s block. Take active steps to avoid it. Plan and prepare for those days when you can’t think of anything you want to write about.
1. Maintain A List Of Ideas
One of the best ways to avoid writer’s block is to be prepared for days when you don’t feel like writing or don’t know what you want to work on.
For one hour a week, sit down at the computer and create a list of ideas for articles and blog posts. Search the internet for articles related to your topic or topics of choice, glance through other people’s blog posts, and create a file with a list of your ideas and thoughts.
Use this list whenever you are feeling slow on ideas and continue to add to it each week. This will ensure that you never have to stare at an empty page with absolutely no idea what to write about.
2. Read Through Lists Of Clickbait Titles
It almost feels like cheating, but it works. Lists of clickbait titles can be easily found online and are available on numerous blogs for writers. Even if you don’t write clickbait articles, these lists of titles can help you look at your subject in new ways.
If you have taken the first step and written a list of ideas for blog posts you want to write, chose one item from your list and work it into a few clickbait titles. By the end of this exercise, you will have a list of titles for future blog posts.
3. Outlining Is Your Friend
It is hard to start writing if you don’t know where you are going with your article. Avoid this writer’s trap and begin outlining your articles and blog posts.
Struggling to create an outline for your blog post? No problem. There are plenty of blog and article templates available online for free. Study the structure of the type of post you want to write, such as a how-to post or an educational post, and begin plugging in the necessary information to flesh out your article.
4. Work On A Boring Chore
Staring at a blank screen will probably get you nowhere. Instead of sitting and staring, get up, and do something boring around the house or yard. This can be mowing the lawn, washing the dishes, or even taking a shower.
Taking a timeout from writing and doing something monotonous will allow your creative subconscious mind to wander off. Eventually, it will snap back with a new idea or two that you haven’t thought of before.
5. Exercise
Another great way to avoid writer’s block is to work some exercise into your schedule. Exercise increases blood flow into the brain and can help improve your creativity.
If possible, keep exercise equipment, such as a stationary bike or a yoga mat, near your workspace. You can also take periodic walks around the block or visit a local nature trail to clear out the cobwebs lurking between your ears.
6. Don’t Focus On Writing Perfect Copy
Nothing stunts the creative process like trying to write perfect copy on the first round. If you find yourself writing and constantly stopping to correct your errors, stop now.
Write your first blog draft as though you don’t care about spelling errors or punctuation mistakes. Stopping to correct these now will only interrupt your creative flow.
Instead, write your blog post all the way through. When you are finished, go back through your post and correct your mistakes.
7. Visit A Library Or Bookstore
Always keep those creative juices flowing and remember that every experience and idea can be turned into a blog post.
Visiting a library or bookstore is just another way to explore your genre, find new topics, and see what is popular in the publishing industry.
Borrow or purchase books on your subject to get new ideas to write about, review the books, and contact the authors for interviews.
8. Step Away From Social Media
The worst thing you can do to yourself when you are avoiding your blog post is to visit your favorite social media platform. Social media is a distraction and one of the more popular vices people turn towards to avoid work.
Instead, log out of your social media accounts and turn off your phone notifications. Allow yourself to use social media for five minutes a day and only after you have written your blog posts.
9. Write About Something Outside Your Genre
When you feel yourself getting bored with a subject, it is time to set it aside and take a look at something else. Sometimes writing about a different topic will open your eyes to new ideas for your blog.
For example, you maintain a blog about raising chickens. Day after day you write about chicken care, chicken feed, and hatching chicks. You need a break from your normal niche, but you also need to create content for your blog.
Take a step outside your chicken world and take a look at a few chicken crafts. How about games involving chickens or farm games with chickens? You can get creative and see if chickens have met up with virtual reality. (Hint: They have!)
You don’t have to keep writing about the same thing day after day. Step outside your typical realm and see how other genres meet with your own.
10. Develop A Routine
Develop a writing routine. Set up a weekly writing schedule much as you would have with a “normal” job. Aim for at least an hour a day even if you do not post daily.
Creating a writing schedule trains your brain to know when it is time to get creative and write. It helps you focus on what you need to do and it allows you to work ahead of schedule, eliminating the pressure of having to write a last-minute blog post.