This Aspiring Authors series recently shared 5 ways to find writing inspiration - techniques to spark ideas if you’re ever struck by big, bad blank-page blues. But what are you supposed to do when you’ve had that great idea, when you’ve made a start (maybe even a flying start, and you’re already a fair way along your writing road) and a great big road block stops you in your tracks? It’s a frustrating thing - not least if you’ve cleared the decks, set aside time to write, and it just ain’t happening. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that writing-block blues are even bigger and badder than their blank page cousin. Fear not, though - that block is not insurmountable. There are ways of smashing it, jumping it, and outwitting it.

1. Understand the source (and quit comparisons)

Understanding why writer’s block happens is a good place to start when it comes to putting a stop to it. And its most common source is self-criticism, perhaps brought about by making (unfair) comparisons with your favourite authors, leading you down an unhelpful, incapacitating I’ll-never-be-as-good-as-so-and-so-path. If that’s the case - just stop! While it’s all well and good admiring and learning from your favourite novelists, remember that two writers are the same. No two novels or stories are the same. That’s the beauty of fiction. So, strive for your own style, your own voice, your own stories. Forget the comparisons, take off the pressure and be your own writer.

2. Understand the source (and reach out)

Self-criticism and self-doubt can also come from working in isolation. That is to say, lack of external encouragement or praise can bring on a bout of writer’s block. If that’s the case, you might want to join a writing group, or share your work with a friend. A few words of encouragement can go a long way and get you back in the saddle. 

3. Write on - perfect it later

Often we put blocks in our path by deliberating over the perfect way to describe, say, a character’s nose, or the taste of that pineapple, or the scent of that rose. And so on. While it goes without saying that, ultimately, you’ll want each and every word to be right, don’t hold yourself up by procrastinating. Keep moving forward. You can always come back to perfect things later.

4. Map it out

Related to the previous point, being unsure of where your story is going can lead to pondering each and every word, and become an excuse for not moving on (a bit of a vicious circle). In that case, you may need to take time to work out where your work is going. That way, you’ll know what needs to come next, so you can move on before you’ve found that perfect word. Hey presto, the circle is broken. 

5. Jump around (metaphorically)

It’s also helpful to remember that you don’t have to write in sequence. If you’ve mapped out your story, you can jump back and forth and write segments that suit whatever frame of mind you happen to be in. So, if sequentially you’re due to write an introspective kind of scene but you’re not in that kind of mood, you could simply skip to a more action-packed episode (for example) and save the soul-searching atmospherics for another day. 

6. Jump around (literally)

Doing something physical, like taking a walk, playing some sport, doing some housework (whatever floats your boat) is a great way to flex and loosen those creative muscles. Even the toughest character and plot conundrums can be solved as the mind wanders when your body is busy doing something else. What’s more, taking things too seriously (for example, by comparing your work to writers you most admire) can cause writer’s block, so having a bit of physical fun helps on that front too.

7. Change things up

If your writer’s block has come in the wake of struggling with a particular scene, think about that scene from a different point of view. For example, from the point of view of a less central character, or from a completely new characters’ point of view. Explore how the scene appears from the outside. Explore what it reveals about your characters, and what purpose it serves, with fresh eyes.

8. Switch to something else

Sometimes writer’s block strikes when a new idea has struck. If that’s the case, don’t beat yourself up and spend too much time frustrated by lack of progress on your main project. Switch to the new idea for a while - make some notes, enjoy the fun of free-writing and riffing around that new spark. It’ll do your confidence the world of good which will, in turn, do a whole lot of good for the work you’ve been struggling with.

9. Free yourself up through flash fiction activities 

Try some of the exercises in this article about banishing procrastination. You could, for example, adapt a timed flash fiction activity in order to unleash writing that scene you’ve been struggling with, or to get to grips with a character development issue.

For more information on a range of writing topics, check out the rest of our Aspiring Authors series.