5 Creative Writing Exercises To Get You Through Writers Block
86Overcome Writers Block With These 5 Top Creative Ways
Writers block is the scourge of the writing world, it can stop the best writers dead in their tracks without any notice and can halt productive written words in the blink of an eye, any writer goes through it and it is annoying to say the least, but wouldn't you like to overcome this obstacle to write forever on the stuff you know about and the stories you want to write about?
Well, you have come to the right place as the bearded one will tell you 5 creative ways to overcome that barrier to writing your good stuff that invisible shield of frustrating mental block that is writers block.
First....
A good brainstorming, mind mapping hurricane
When all is lost in the world of writing, you need to get back on top of your game and nothing does it better than a good brainstorm mind map combo, I do this on a sheet of paper with my central word or phrase right in the centre of the paper and all I do is just write related words and phrases linking to the central word, so for example my main words could be article writing and so some words that I could write for that would be article research, writing good titles, article structure etc. So long as it relates to the central idea then we can knock out lots of good ideas for content to be written.
I often have those chunky ass markers for this, as you just feel really cool and important when you are brainstorming like a professor on paper.
Second......
Read something, anything and get ideas
By taking a break and reading something else, you will instantly gain new found inspiration and be able to zone in on your writers block and give it a good slap, I regularly read other peoples stories and stuff to get ideas and to form new thoughts and creative ways of tackling subject matter from a different angle, if you do this often, then you will get better at beating writers block.
Third....
Free writing
Get a pen and paper notepad and just write what you are thinking and also any thoughts that pop into your head, this way of working helps your mind wander and on a subconscious level may inspire ideas to flow more naturally than trying to force the issue of writing new content, many writers do this and half the time they get out all of the crap and are able to honestly move on from that moment in time when they were blocked by an unknown force stopping them from writing.
Fourth....
30 minute mad half hour
One of the best things that I personally do when I suffer from this oppressive writers block is I go and do a silly and quite freaky dance for 30 minutes, this sounds quite unusual and to people who have seen my funky dance then they may laugh but you tell then you need to have a break and just do something crazy and let your heart pound for a bit and jiggle away all that crazy mind blocking stuff that is preventing you from writing and actually getting on with it.
This will do you the world of good, other alternatives to this could standing on your head against a wall for ten minutes, or jogging on the spot for 10 minutes, whatever the thing you do, just make it randomly energetic, it seems to work for me, better than any energy drink ever would!
Fifth....
Write down your dreams
Just started doing this and found I have some great material for some stories, characters and ways to improve my life also, although you have to be good at remembering your dreams, so the best thing is to have a small notepad and pen at the side of your bed and take notes of your dreams, I frequently find that these dream scribblings and quick notes form the basis of something later on down the line, like the start of a story or a possible scene that could form the beginnings of an opening article about whatever it is that you write about.
Dreams are often weird, but they too can be inspiring and the subconscious mind can be useful for finding out what it is thinking when you wake up and start thinking with your conscious mind, they make a great double act.
Overcome Writers Block
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Thanks, very helpful hub for a new hubberlike me
Great ideas! I'll definitely keep this in mind when I get writer's block.
Thanks guys and gals!
I would suggest you include the video of your crazy dancing!
Good article,
we all suffer through inability to write. Not me, though.
That are some cool ideas to get through the damn block - it can be frustrating. Funky dance, or a nice poetry from your favorite author, different things work for different people. Talking helps me, and I mostly crib these days, because a very good friend of mine is gone for higher studies. :( Talking to her really used to get me through any kind of block :)
Great insights for writing effectively, waynet.
Nice article! I find the gym helps, and meditation. Strangely, the best thing is going to the coffee bar and getting into a conversation with someone on anything other than what my writing is about. Break free! Then I can re-approach it with a fresh mind.
thanks this has helped me alot. I'm going to try something like your dance
Thank you. I have only written a handful of hubs and can't think already. I am highly stressed at the moment so that doesn't help. Good job.
Thank you Wayne. I don't often bookmark hubs or articles, but this one is at the top of my list! :-)
The free writing idea is magnificent! I have had writers block for a few days but I think I'm cured! I can do this for days.
Excellent Hub! Thanks!
Yep headbanging and all that should do the trick lol! Cheers!
This was helpful dude, i've had bad writers block for too long. But instead of dancing i always get myself singing along to GH: Metallica. And trust me, i look retarded trying to headbang with buzzcut lol.
Cheers now!
Never tried changing my daily routine, but it makes sense to do this often!
These are some pretty good concrete writing tips. The 30 minute funky dance make's perfect sense, as it stimulates the brain increasing it's sensory functions. I wrote an article this morning on a lapse creativity, mostly about the psychological reasons and how to get into a more stimulated mindset, check it out, and I hope you find it useful
http://tristanisfeld.com/blog/creativity-what-to-d
Another tip I mentioned was to change your daily routine. This will take the brain off of autopilot and you'll find that you have a lot more idea's throughout the day as well, enjoy
Great hub, really useful.
Cheers now MT!
The freaky mad dance does work, it gets that adrenaline pumping!!!
I was totally with you, agreeing with everything you said, and then I got to the crazy dance. I had never heard of that technique. I've heard of writer's taking a walk to clear their heads, but this is like an amped up version of that. I have to admit, it sounds like a good idea. As writer's we spend so much time sitting down in front of a note pad or computer. It can be a nice change of pace to get up and move around really fast. I'm going to have to try this.
This has been very useful for me. lol! I thought I had lost my mind or something, turns out I just forgot a few things ;)
Good hub, thanks!
thanks for the advice!
Good good, reading is a good method of inspiration for me aswell as just taking a break and then coming back refreshed!
Cheers now!
Haha I found that a lot of those I already do. Though the free writing never helps. My biggest one is reading for inspiration. However, the way I write, it's hard to get inspiration lol.
Yeah the dancing one is totally mad cap, but it works!!
I do one page free writing, just to exercise my mind a little, I just write whatever comes into my head, don't stop for editing and quite often I do about 4 or 5 pages of written sentences that all can be used for something!!
Never done the NaNOWriMo yet, but I can think about that at another time when I am in the writing zone and have lots of free time on my hands.
Cheers now Ryan!
I have to say, the dancing is a new one to me, but I can't think of a better way to get the wildness out and in the open. I agree, writer's block should be totally outlawed.
Just out of curiosity, do you try any tricks to stretch your freewriting time? The first time I did NaNoWriMo, I kind of took it as a challenge to write free-write the whole 50,000 words, and I think it worked. If nothing else, it certainly was fun to write, though I have no idea what to do with the manuscript now.
Yeah the dancing is a good idea!
I might have a go at the dancing. Cheers
Cheers now!
Writers block affects so many people!
Excellent Hub. Thanks for sharing your great inputs it is really inspiring and give us the right tips to break our block mind to keep on writing,
Cheers now Mystique!
I try to write some useful stuff every now and then....
Well, Waynet, my first hub from you ever. I found it interesting, useful and concise!
I am very glad I stopped by!
Thanks for sharing such good info!
Kind regards and blessings,
Al
Brilliant hub, thanks for the tips :-)
Your welcome Vanessa!
Awesome! thanks for the insight-
Thanks for the ideas! Yes, I have used the "writing down your dreams" idea and that seems to really get the ball rolling sometimes!
Yep try the dancing one and see if it doesn't work with new ideas, it works for me often,as I ama bit bonkers anyway lol!
Thanks Hendrika!
I must say the just writing something works for me. I simply write what comes to mind.I'm going to try the dancing though, I'm sure it will work!
Thanks hubs directory!
I like to write and writers block should be made illegal!
Hi waynet, Great hub. You've got some really good tips I hadn't even thought of...
Cheers now Jessaca!
There are many who have battled with writers block and the more we can overcome it, we can write more as a result.
It is very good to know that I am not alone in getting the occasional(if not more than I like) writers block. Thank you for making me feel not so alone. Much luck to all of your endeavors.
Thanks Lady E
Writers block is evil and we need to combat it head on!!!
Excellent Hub Waynet. Very useful, This should keep the Writing flowing.... Best wishes. :)
Yes dance away and write more!!
Cheers Duchess OBlunt!
Great hub! I really like the dancing idea. I'll have to give it a go!
Cheers AuthorLMS!
I hate writers block and used to have that problem for awhile until I went through some of these if not all five points!!
Thank you I've been going through this lately I will try it and see if it works. Thanks for sharing!
Ha lol! no you can do the dancing crazy mad half hour thing any time you like, just video yourself and put it on youtube!! lol!
Cheers Elyse!
Do you have to have writer's block to do the 30 minute jiggly dance? Just checking . . . ;)
Cheers Camlo!
Sometimes it's the simplest ideas that work best to release that creative side, writers block affects us all at some point and it's best to jiggle things around and change direction sometimes!
Hi! Great tips. The 'mad 30 minutes' I do myself. I become a rock/soul/pop star, with mic and everything, and not for 30 minutes -- for hours! The neighbours complain sometimes, but it does release blocks.
The mind-mapping I do without pen and paper. Just in my head when I've nothing better to do. And I get the craziest ideas, but most of them are worth writing about.
Enjoyed your hub! Camlo
Cheers Mistywild!
They are my tips that I follow and so can be used for your own ways of beating that nasty writers block!!
Thanks for the article, I have not incounter this particular problem yet (althought I may have just jinxed myself) so I will keep your suggestions at hand for the future.
Thanks Lissa & akhilkarun!
Hubpages is brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey i'm likin all your hubs buddy.. I followed you from the comment you left on my hub.Gonna be your fan! :)
Great hub, very helpful! Thanks!
Cheers Jeff!
These are some tips that I swear by, even the energetic crazy dancing one!!
Thanks for the tips. Bookmarking this hub so I won't forget to try these.
Cheers Robert!
Yes the energetic one I suppose you could replace with a mind battling puzzle or jumbo crossword or something that just takes your mind off the writers block, that could work too....Hope you get better for your nanowrimo!!
Excellent. Thank you. As Nanowrimo approaches, sometimes I get the blues even though I've done this for years. I've been sick for several weeks and fallen behind on everything, so that gave me the willies about my writing. Reading this has reminded me there ARE things I can do, even if one of them (the energetic moving-around one) isn't practical. If I did that I'd be on bedrest for a week.
htodd 39 hours ago
Thanks a lot for the nice post .... That is really nice one