Blogger SOS: Overcoming Writer's Block

During these past few weeks, I've learnt that sitting and staring at a blank draft for hours is just part of being a blogger. That trying to type, but not actually being able to form sentences, is also a familiar occurrence. And, also, I'm not the only one that rants about this; especially when almost a week has passed and still no ideas or inspiration for a post can be found. A few hours later, after spending those alternating between the empty page and social media, I tend to come to the conclusion that I should - perhaps - try again the next day, accepting my defeat. Thanks, writer's block.

Definition: Writer's Block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work.*

When discussing blogging, this block could be described as those times when we are unable to write a new post, and the time-gap between our last update grows from a few days to a few weeks. Now that I've managed to overcome it(for now!) - after a week of no posts - I've decided to share some advice, in a new blog feature called Blogger SOS(which will be posted monthly).

Even whilst I'm typing this post, sat at my desk, I'm listening to a playlist I put together a few months ago(that includes songs that have helped me write before). Despite the fact that music doesn't always help - and I decide to mute the volume instead - there are times when listening to a certain artist can put me in the right mood to write a blog post. When I'm stressed, and there's a collection of coursework waiting to be completed, I struggle to write a post; watching the clock as the night draws on. Plugging in headphones is the perfect escape; where I'm able to concentrate on the task-at-hand for an hour, and hopefully write something. Anything. A handful of coherent paragraphs are welcome at this point. With music playing and a mug of hot chocolate, I find I can relax into writing, and finally, the page seems to start filling up. 

 

Experiencing these 'blocks' are the bane of my existence; and, normally, it takes me a few days to overcome them. Rather than pacing the room, I tend to choose some songs that represent what I'm trying to write about, the likes of Florence and the Machine when the genre is closer to thriller/horror. I was also recently introduced to the idea of searching through pictures and tags on sites such as Tumblr, as they are filled with images that could spark something. If you can't write a specific scene, searching for a picture of the place it is set in - or something similar - can help form some vivid description passages. I use this a lot when writing poetry.

 

My notes for this post are almost illegible.

 If I'm writing a more upbeat piece, then I turn to my trusty Taylor Swift album instead, and along with using a notebook, I can work through writer's block. I think. Picking up a battered lined notebook or journal is something I know immediately resort to in the face of having no ideas. Jotting down assorted scribblings, even doodling stars in the top-corner of the page, can lead to a whole post. Making lists; drawing spider-diagrams; re-writing the first line repeatedly until it feels 'right'. Notepads should be used like this.

 

Outsmarting writer's block is the most satisfying feeling; like when you find yourself almost halfway the first Game of Thrones novel. Planning ahead - not necessarily by scheduling all your blog posts for the next few months - but writing down a few ideas that you can use at any time, although not overcoming writer's block, is taking a different route around the problem. In the back of one of my favourite notepads I have a double page spread with titles of posts scrawled down; in the hope that they will rescue me from no uploading for a week next time.
 

How often do you experience writer's block?

How do you overcome it?

 What would you like to see covered in a future Blogger SOS post?

 

Tell me in the comments! 

 

*Definition from Wikipedia