Writers are used to the tremendous pressure from deadlines, nasty editors, or just self-imposed from trying to create output like an article, a poem, an essay, or a blog post. Meeting deadlines is not a problem for everyone, but can be really terrible when the evil writer’s block attacks.

Having a writer’s block, especially during crunch time, compounds the problem so much that many would bang their heads on their desks, figuratively or literally, just to get the words out of their heads. This condition can be described as driving down a one-way street and hitting a dead end.

Every writer will sooner or later face this problem, which is almost impossible to avoid. It always comes at an unexpected and inconvenient time. A writer will likely only realize that he or she has writer’s block after staring at a blank monitor or at a blank piece of paper for several hours and coming up with nothing.

Since writer’s block cannot be avoided, it should be managed properly. It is wrong to think of a writer’s block as a dead end on a one-way road. It should simply be thought of as an obstacle on the road that can removed.

Why Writer’s Block Strikes

There are many possible reasons why writers experience this dreaded condition. If you are experiencing it right now, it may be caused by:

• Having little interest in the topic – You were assigned a topic that you really don’t like.
• Having little information about the topic – Writing about something you don’t quite understand or are unfamiliar with is even more difficult than writing about something you are not interested in.
• Too tired to think – When very tired, your brain only asks for one thing: rest. You may be thinking too much about other things, too, like your family, friends, debts, or errands that you have to do after work.
• Too much information – You are very excited about the topic or you have a lot of information available to you, but you can’t figure out how to present your point in writing.

In most cases, the brain simply overloads and fails to function the way you want it to. When you do experience it, it is better that you do not pressure yourself further. You will only end up with more frustration, but without any output.

Writer’s Block? What You Can Do

You don’t have to force yourself to write more when you really can’t do it. However, it does not mean you stop doing your work, since you might lose your job if the writing is work-related. If you are experiencing a bout of writer’s block, here are the things you can do:

• Take a break. Go out and get some fresh air, grab a beer, or smoke a cigarette (if you smoke) and relax for a moment. Try to forget about the deadlines and the other things that you have to do after you are done with writing. You are probably thinking so much that you can’t focus enough to write something.
• Take a nap, or better yet, go to sleep if you can afford the time. You just might be too tired to do this type of work. If you can’t sleep on it, just take a 30 minute nap. Hopefully, you will feel refreshed after the nap.
• Do something else. If you don’t feel tired or sleepy, exercise, do some chores, or watch TV. Your brain might need a little “jump starting” or stimulation to get it to warm up. It is just like starting your car during winter, when you need to heat the engine first to get it to start.

Notice that these are some ways to relax your mind for a while. It is common to suffer from writer’s block if you are too tired or stressed, so relaxing for a while can greatly help get you focused on the task that you need to accomplish.

Overcome the Writer’s Block

Just as previously stated, treat writer’s block as a mere obstacle that will slow you down but not stop you from producing output. Now that you have relaxed your overworked brain, you can start to take action.

If you are writing about something that does not arouse your interest, think of a different angle from which to present your article. Try to relate it to something that is significant to you or to your readers. For example, if you are supposed to write an article about whales, don’t write about things that can be found in an encyclopedia. Instead, write about nice places to visit where whales can be spotted or how intelligent they are.

When you are supposed to write about something you don’t understand much of, additional research will help. Search the Internet or interview knowledgeable people. You might pick up interesting information that can help you write even better.

Sometimes, when the topic is something relating to your interests or your passion, you can’t decide what to put in it. An article that lacks information is not good, but bloating it with too much isn’t good, either. When this happens, all you have to do is focus on one angle or decide the objective of the article you will be writing. The question “What do you really want your readers to know?” will help you strip down irrelevant information in your article.

Remember back at school in writing class when your teacher asked you to make an outline? Make one now. It will not only help you overcome your writer’s block, but it will also make your article complete and more focused.

Outlines greatly help when you don’t know how to or where to start. Just write a few key words and ideas for every entry on the list. Use these words to develop your sentences, your paragraphs, and, finally, your article. In the process of writing, feel free to add more details or information if you think it is necessary.

There are a lot of writers that seem to have a problem making an introduction for their work even if they have an outline made. If you are one of those people, then skip the introduction and start to write the body. When you think that you have an idea how to make your introduction, then go back and write it. You may have to finish the body and conclusion before you can think of an introduction, but that’s fine. Just make sure you connect your introduction to the rest of the article.

Since writer’s block can be considered a natural occurrence, you must expect it, but try to avoid it. If you frequently experience it, it could be a sign that you need a vacation to get away from it all – temporarily.