How to Beat a Writing Block (Without Writing)

So the other day, while working on revisions, I tweeted this:
And to my pleasant surprise, I received a whole load of responses back of people saying they did basically the same thing, or something similar. Which got me thinking about ways to get around a writing block without actually writing.

When the alternate-universe mind-movie daydreaming doesn’t work, sometimes I find getting away from the computer and doing something else helps. Taking a walk, taking a shower, doing chores I was putting off, etc. often leads to new connections in my mind, and even if those connections don’t solve the block entirely, they frequently get me thinking in the direction that does lead to overcoming the block.

Photo credit: Aztlek on Flickr
Basically, your subconscious sometimes does the work for you, which is pretty darn nice. I’ve had more than a couple epiphany moments both on WIP stuff and blog post stuff away from the computer.

Some other suggestions I got from writers on Twitter included talking a scene out (presumably in private) and listening to music. I’ve also found, occasionally, that working on something else entirely sometimes leads to breakthroughs, like my brain wanted me to focus on something else while working its magic (hey, whatever works).

In the end, of course, if none of these passive solutions work, then it might be time to pull out a pad of paper or a new document and work things out step by step. But you never know when not-writing can actually help you write, after all.

What non-writing solutions do you have for beating the block?

 Twitter-sized bite:
How can you beat a writing block without writing? Writer @Ava_Jae shares some ideas. (Click to tweet)

20 comments:

  1. AlyssaJune 10, 2015 at 5:32 AM

    I actually do the visualise-in-head thing all the time even when I'm not having writer's block, especially for planning. I also sometimes act out bits and pieces I've thought up so far to really get into the characters' heads. When worst comes to worst, I doodle various methods to hurt them. Normally that helps a lot, but I don't like to feed my dark side. Not TOO much, at least. XD

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  2. Ava JaeJune 10, 2015 at 5:35 AM

    Oh, I totally do the visualization thing when I'm plotting, too—it's really helpful! And I'll visualize sometimes when revising to really picture a scene. Slowing down is necessary, sometimes. :)


    Acting out is pretty great, too (assuming no one is around, or you're just braver than I am! lol) I like that doodling idea! That actually sounds super fun.

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  3. Laura RueckertJune 10, 2015 at 8:29 AM

    My favorite "cure" is walking alone. I need about 20 minutes before my brain starts spouting ideas, so I try to walk for 50-60 minutes. I also find music or reading something/watching a movie helps.

    How about lists of "what ifs" (at least 20) - or is that too close to actually writing? Or listing things that absolutely can NOT work (to decide if that's really true). ;)

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  4. VictoriaGrace HowellJune 10, 2015 at 9:50 AM

    Love this vlog! I laughed several times especially at man with a gun and "There's a word for a writer who never gives up: published." And yay someone else who likes the revising process more than the first draft. I often stress more in the first draft because I know it's going to be crappy lol.

    storitorigrace.blogspot.com

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  5. Jen DonohueJune 10, 2015 at 8:11 PM

    I do enjoy trusting my subconscious. Sometimes, it's just plain time to ruminate, and I do other things. Read, screw around on the Internet (I'm particularly partial to this), watch a movie or show, do stuff with the dog. Then my brilliant ideas will come to me as I'm falling asleep, or in the shower!

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  6. Ava JaeJune 11, 2015 at 3:03 AM

    Walks are nice, and I've also found them occasionally helpful (although an hour long walk is more ambitious than my usual mini-treks lol). I hadn't thought of movie-watching, but that's an interesting one to consider. My brain tends to get into shut-off mode when I watch movies, probably because I often watch stuff when work is over, but that may be actually helpful at times.


    And what if lists are great! I use them for brainstorming all the time, but I didn't mention them here because it's still writing something down. :)

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  7. Ava JaeJune 11, 2015 at 3:04 AM

    Nice! Internet surfing, I find, distracts me more than anything else and rarely inspires problem-fixing ideas (but sometimes! You never know). But I think the idea of just moving on to something else temporarily is still the same for sure. :)

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  8. Ava JaeJune 11, 2015 at 3:21 AM

    Thanks, Carissa! I definitely have. :)


    Cyborg beekeeper YA—interesting! I love projects that make you excited, though I can imagine that having to work on a limited nap-time schedule could complicate matters a little, lol.


    Your future project sounds great, too! And sequels are fun. That's something I hope to be able to work on one day. :)

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  9. Ava JaeJune 11, 2015 at 3:30 AM

    Aw, I'm so glad you enjoyed it, VictoriaGrace! And yes, I definitely prefer revising over first drafting (though first drafting is fun too). My biggest first drafting stressor, I think, tends to be that I'm never sure I'm actually going to finish it until I do. It's tough!

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  10. Alana (Siegel) MagJune 11, 2015 at 7:41 AM

    I make my best pivotal scene re-writes in my head while blow drying my hair. 20 minutes where my body is on autopilot frees up my brain to think. Great post.

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  11. VictoriaGrace HowellJune 11, 2015 at 11:15 AM

    That's true. I think mine is that I sometimes have to stop and think about where I'm going instead of having the previous draft as a guide and also knowing how horrible the writing is especially when I'm crunching out words late at night lol. XD

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  12. Ava JaeJune 13, 2015 at 5:58 AM

    Thanks, Alana! You know, I definitely think the autopilot thing is kind of the key to working unconsciously. It distracts your brain enough not to stress about trying to fix the problem, but still leaves brainpower for working things out.

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  13. Ava JaeJune 13, 2015 at 6:02 AM

    Ahhh. Yeah that first fear I solve by plotting beforehand, but the second fear is understandable. I try not to think about it, but the best thing you can do is know it's totally okay for the writing to be terrible in that stage. You an always fix it later. :)

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  14. VictoriaGrace HowellJune 14, 2015 at 12:18 PM

    Exciting! Tons of work, but it will be so worth it! I'm currently editing my steampunk fantasy to be ready by August to send off to some publishers and an agent who requested it. ^ ^

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  15. VictoriaGrace HowellJune 16, 2015 at 9:11 PM

    I do the mind palace visualization thing too lol. I often find doing some activity that involves water helps me get ideas like showering, swimming or washing dishes. It's weird. XD

    storitorigrace.blogspot.com

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  16. Ava JaeJune 17, 2015 at 6:27 PM

    Mind palaces! Like Sherlock! :D That's really cool lol. And I think repetitive activities, especially ones that don't take much thought, can be really great for generating ideas. :)

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  17. Ava JaeJune 18, 2015 at 1:49 PM

    Ohhh that's so great! Good luck with your revisions and submitting to agents! :)

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  18. VictoriaGrace HowellJune 18, 2015 at 5:57 PM

    Thank you so much! ^ ^

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  19. VictoriaGrace HowellJune 18, 2015 at 5:57 PM

    Yep yep! I so agree!

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  20. Ava JaeJune 20, 2015 at 3:42 AM

    You're welcome! :)

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