By: Christian Litwinowicz
One of the worse feelings as a writer is when the words just won’t flow. Commonly known as “writer’s block,” many writers struggle to find ways to combat this. I’m going to share a couple different ways in which I overcome writer’s block and how it improves my writing.
The first, and the most effective, way that I get past writer’s block is by stepping away from the assignment for a little while. Often times when we get stuck, we try very hard to force the ideas into our heads and onto paper. In my experience doing this, I typically end up going back and changing what I wrote later on due to it sounding forced. By stepping away, you give your brain a chance to refresh and clear your head. Later, when you come back, you will have a renewed mind and can continue writing. I find that my best ideas come when I am not focusing on the assignment itself.
One benefit to stepping away and coming back is a new perspective. You can take a new angle on the assignment and explore different ideas. This also gives you the chance to reread what you already wrote and make any revisions necessary. I find that I catch a lot of my grammatical/mechanical mistakes when I reread what I previously wrote to get back to my train of thought. Rereading what you already wrote also helps you get back into the flow of the assignment and can spark new ideas!
Another way to combat writer’s block is by doing outside research. By reading other perspectives on the same topic, it might spark a new idea in your mind. You can take your thought and run with it. Just remember to always cite your sources! This improves writing as well, as it broadens your paper and incorporates more sources.
If you get stuck and need help getting started again, you can always bring your assignment to the Writing Center! Our staff of consultants are ready to help with any aspect of writing, including brainstorming and idea development.
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