Dealing with Writer’s Block

Writer’s block happens to the best of us (heck it happened to me as I was trying to figure out what to write for the blog!), and it comes in many different forms; from being unable to decide on a direction for you next session or even the start of a new storyline, to figuring out and giving life to your new character by way of their backstory. It’s definitely frustrating when you have so many ideas that just seem to be at the forefront of the mind and then unable to get them down (either digitally or on paper, for those of us who still need to physically write stuff down). So, for today’s post we’re going to talk about ways to identify and combat the dreaded writer’s block, or at least the steps that have helped me break it when it occurs.

First thing I usually do is identify the type of writer’s block I’m having. Here I’m talking about two different scenarios; analysis paralysis due to too many ideas or not being able to come up with any thoughts as they relate to what I’m working on. For me, my writer’s block usually comes from the first option; a myriad of ideas usually float around in my psyche and it can be really difficult to pull one out of the ether and focus on it long enough to go somewhere with it. The latter has happened to me also, but it’s far less frequent. Usually that one crops up when I’m not 100% sold on an idea or concept, almost as though my brain is telling me this isn’t worth the time and energy to write, as I’m not invested enough in the idea. Once I’ve identified the type of writer’s block, I’ll then try some exercises that have worked for me in the past to get the pen rolling. Try to identify your version of writer’s block in either of these two ways, and even if it doesn’t fit either scenario, you might still find some of the following exercises worthwhile to try.

1. Movement
   This one came courtesy of my wonderful girlfriend Pita. As a yoga teacher, she’s studied the way that energy moves through the body and can get blocked at various points due to our everyday activities. As a lot of us have jobs (or hobbies!) where we sit for long hours at a time, that can keep the creative energy from being able to move properly. Think of it like a beaver dam stopping up the waterway; only a trickle of water gets through at any time, the rest tied up behind the dam itself. If we move, be that going for a walk (short or long, your preference), doing some yoga, dancing, etc., we give the body the ability to open up a bit more and let the creative energy move again. There’ve been plenty of times where I’ve been stuck on how to write a certain scenario or unable to see how to fit all the pieces of a session together where the act of getting up and moving for a bit has broken open the floodgates and gotten me to the answer I needed to be able to continue forward.
2. Listing
   Here’s where the old pen and paper come in handy, at least for me. When I’m dealing with writer’s block that I associate with analysis paralysis, sometimes the best way for me to get beyond that is to just write all those ideas down. Doesn’t matter how goofy or silly they sound at the time of me putting them onto paper, the important piece is writing them all down so I can sort out exactly what’s been floating in my head. Once that’s done, I can review what I’ve got written down, see what ideas may relate and which ones are just on their own. The more ideas that relate to one another, the more the idea clicks into place until the writer’s block dwindles enough to let me continue moving forward.
3. Engage in a Non-Writing Activity
   I know what you’re thinking, this one is in the same vein as #1. And you’d be partially correct. But the difference between that one and this one is I’m suggesting something that is potentially a bit more passive than movement. Putting down the pen/turning off the computer and taking time out to watch an episode of your favorite tv series or your favorite movie might inspire you to get beyond the block. You could also do this with a more active activity like playing a video game. By disengaging from the act of writing and doing something that doesn’t involve a high level of fixation can actually help spur the ideas to flow. Plus, if you’re watching something that relates to what you are writing, you may get a spark of insight or inspiration from that as well, effectively ending your writer’s block and giving you more material to work with.
4. Put It Down
   Another one that sort of relates to ideas 1 and 3, but the idea of putting it down is more to step away from it completely. Don’t engage in activities relating to writing or the subject matter you’re trying to write about, don’t try to think your way out of the issue that’s plaguing you. Instead, doing chores around the house, running to the grocery store, calling a friend or family member just to talk (about everything not related to what you’re writing), or anything else you can think of. Giving your mind time to disengage gives it time to rest and reset. It’s not always good to be so hyper focused on the task, because that will cause stress and stress will just exacerbate the writer’s block.

These ideas are definitely not the only ways to deal with writer’s block, but they are ways that have helped me do so. Whether it’s writing a new scenario to run at a convention, prepping for a new session of a home game, planning a new campaign or just putting together a new character and backstory, writer’s block can hinder all of these activities. Being able to effectively deal with that block will help you get more out of the time you spend on these activities, and hopefully lead to more fun when the game comes around. Let me know in the comments if you have any other ways of combatting writer’s block.