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I've been suffering from writer's block for some time, what are creative ways or activities I can do to overcome it?

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Question added by Samar Saleh , Community Manager , Bayt.com
Date Posted: 2016/03/21
Matthew Chadderdon
by Matthew Chadderdon , Chief Executive Officer (CEO) , Omnibloc Ltd.

The best method for overcoming writer's block is utilising freewrite sessions. Essentially, set a timer, open up a word doc and start typing whatever comes to mind. Don't worry about editing, spelling mistakes, etc... I like to set my timer for fifteen minutes, put on some classical music, and type away until the timer goes off. At the end of the session review what you've written, there's often nuggets of information within that can be used to start a story or get the mind back in gear. It's simple and can be done anywhere; try it out.

Prisca D''costa
by Prisca D''costa , Creative Supervisor, Copywriting , Basecamp India Communications Pvt. Ltd.

Creative writing is a gift. A passion that evokes you to see something extraordinary in the ordinary or to explain a story from an otherwise unfamiliar perspective. However, the problem is with an overdose of passion. You've exhausted yourself with writing to a point that your blanked out. You need a break. Not a day or 2 but a bigger one. What do you like to do besides writing? Many writers enjoy travelling or meeting with different cultures and different stories. Pick something that you have'nt done much. Dont think about writing at all. Set out on a small journey that will take you away and keep you wandering. Something refreshing, something different always helps. Think funny, think happy, dont walk or talk like a writer. There's more than a writer in you, take that and help it unblock your mind.

Rana Alnajjar
by Rana Alnajjar , Web developer , Lebcards

Writer's Block. It sounds like a fearsome condition, a creative blockage. The end of invention. But what is it, really?

Part of why Writer's Block sounds so dreadful and insurmountable is the fact that nobody ever takes it apart. People lump several different types of creative problems like writer's block into one broad category. In fact, there's no such thing as " Writer's Block " and treating a broad range of creative slowdowns as a single ailment just creates something monolithic and huge. Each type of creative slowdown has a different cause — and thus, a different solution.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the terrifying mystique of Writer's Block, it's better to take it apart and understand it — and then conquer it. Here are types of Writer's Block and how to overcome each type.

 

 You can't come up with an idea.This is the kind of writer's block where you literally have a blank page and you keep typing and erasing, or just staring at the screen until Angry Birds calls to you. You literally can't even get started because you have no clue what to write about, or what story you want to tell. You're stopped before you even start.

There are two pieces of good news for anyone dealing with writer's block :1) Ideas are dime a dozen, and it's not that hard to get the idea pump primed. Execution is harder — of which more in a minute.2) This is the kind of creative stoppage where all of the typical "do a writing exercise"-type stuff actually works. Do a ton of exercises to overcome writer's block, in fact. Try imagining what it would be like if a major incident in your life had turned out way differently. Try writing some fanfic, just to use existing characters as "training wheels." Try writing a scene where someone dies and someone else falls in love, even if it doesn't turn into a story. Think of something or someone that pisses you off, and write a totally mean satire or character assassination. (You'll revise it later, so don't worry about writing something libelous at this stage.) Etc. etc. This is the easiest problem to solve writer's block.

 You have a ton of ideas but can't commit to any of them, and they all peter out.

Now this is slightly harder. Even this problem can take a few different forms — there's the ideas that you lose interest in after a few paragraphs, and then there's the idea that you thought was a novel, but it's actually a short story. 

You have an outline but you can't get through this one part of it.Some writers work really well with an outline, some don't. For some writers, the point of having an outline is to have a road to drive off, a straight line to deviate from as far as possible. Plus, every project is different — even if you're an outline fan usually, there's always the possibility that you need to grope in the dark for this one particular story.

Actually, there are two different reasons you could be getting stuck:1) Your outline has a major flaw and you just won't admit it. You can't get from A to C, because B makes no sense. The characters won't do the things that B requires them to do, without breaking character. Or the logic of the story just won't work with B. If this is the case, you already know it, and it's just a matter of attacking your outline with a hacksaw.2) Your outline is basically fine, but there's a part that you can't get past. Because it's boring, or because you just can't quite see how to get from one narrative peak to the next. You have two cool moments, and you can't figure out how to get from one cool bit to the other.You're stuck in the middle and have no idea what happens next.

Sort of the opposite of problem #3. Either you don't have an outline, or you ditched it a while back. Actually, here's what seems to happen a lot - you were on a roll the day before, and you wrote a whole lot of promising developments and clever bits of business. And then you open your Word document today, and... you have no idea where this is going. You thought you left things in a great place to pick up the ball and keep running, and now you can't even see the next step.

John Hollis
by John Hollis , Media Relations Manager , George Mason University

 I've always found that it helps to just get up and walk away from it for a while if that is possible. Go for a run, play basketball or maybe even cutting the grass serves to help me come back to the computer later with a fresh perspective. That seems to do it for me, but it's not always possible.

Charles Batstone
by Charles Batstone , Trainer , Total Al Bukhoosh Academy

I find the best way to overcome this issue is to simply take a rest from the project for a short while and do somthing that you find relaxing.  Clear your mind.  Then go back and review what you have done already, some new ideas should come to you.  If this does not work, find someone with similar interest and have a casual discussion about what you hope to achieve, this should kick your thinking back in place.  Good luck.

A very effective way that one of my teachers taught me was to writing was to time yourself for ten minutes and writing non stop. 

By doing this you are forcing the creative side of your brain to work on your writing while leaving the intellectual side for after you finish to edit it all out. 

By putting pressure on yourself it will let you remove all the negative criticism your mind is giving you and let you simply focus on your writing. 

Joanna Alhambra
by Joanna Alhambra , Content Strategist , ABBC Foundation

Read or watch something new

Karen Ramhewa
by Karen Ramhewa , Administrator , MBB Training and Development

Inspiration is everywhere to get over writer's block. go out to places you dont know and observe. An old man sitting on a train station bench can have a writer coming up with a story about an old man who goes to the train station every monday for the love of his life. he always carries an old brown bag that has a lot of worn letters from her, which in turn takes one back in history when he met her etc. Writers should find alone time for reflection and must be observant everywhere they are, so as to get the creative juices flowing and do away with the writer's block.

often times what we think of as a "writers block" is just our brains not finding interest in musing over new things anymore. you can overcome this my writing through your writer's block, write whatever you feel like writing, and if your brain tells you that what youre writing isnt good enough, pay it no heed, and soon your brain will get used to it and wont say that to you anymore,and that would be your writer's block...resolved.

According to me writing is simply the way to express your emotions and your point of view to the mass. Somewhere your writing always defines you. So I believe a detailed observation of a scenario and portraying vivid emotions on depth will improve you writing emotionally and intellectualy

Mohammed Imran
by Mohammed Imran , warehouse incharge , Perfume industry

First ask your mind what he want to do.do the first that one your mind says finish the mind setter and then come to your work whatever so and so

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