When Writer’s Block Hits and Brute Force Just Doesn’t Cut It

I’ve always been one of those who believe in brute force when it comes to handling writer’s block.

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Just sit down and write.

Just do it.

You have to chase motivation/inspiration with a club.

I like those motivational quotes that tell you to just plod along and get it over with, and most of the time, it does work for me.

There are times, though, when no matter how much brute force I apply, I just can’t get anything done – not even a single cohesive sentence.

I think that I wouldn’t be wrong in assuming that this happens to you as well. After all, writers do get burnt out, and it probably happens more than we think.

So, when this happens to you, when brute force can’t cut that block into thousands of tiny, insignificant pieces, what do you do?

These past few months have been a struggle for me on all fronts. I didn’t really realize the full extent of the struggle until very recently, but I know realize that those “useless moments” were byproducts.

Here are three things that I have turned to when brute force doesn’t work for me. While they do not help me to get work done directly, at the end of the day, I find myself being more productive once I get past the block.

Do something else.

This is counterintuitive if you, like me, believe in ramming into that wall of uselessness/depression/uncreativity/whatever you want to call it. Still, I’ve found that doing something else helps clear my mind.

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Lately, I’ve turned to cleaning the house whenever I feel off, and it works! I also get a nice, shiny floor as a bonus.

Take time to reflect and determine what could be causing the block.

This is not easy, especially if you’re the type who just likes burying yourself in work and not deal with issues. The thing is, issues won’t really go away unless you face them. So if you’re being unproductive, maybe it’s time to take some time to figure out if something’s bothering you – and to determine what that is.

The process may be painful, or irritating at the very least, but it will result in you getting back in the writing groove.

Ask for help.

Digging deep to resolve your issues may be difficult, but I think asking for help is even more difficult. Sometimes, however, it is the best way to move forward. Whether you reach out to a friend, your partner, or a therapist, it doesn’t matter. The point is that you get an outsider’s perspective, and that can give you a better outlook.

Going forward

I’m not saying these will definitely work for you, but if you’ve tried other things to no avail, maybe it’s time to try something else?

I’d also love to hear what you guys do when things get so bad you just can’t force yourself to produce something decent. Looking forward to hearing from you in the comments!

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