I was lacking inspiration on what to write about this week, so naturally I decided to write about the fact that I don’t know what to write about.
Writer’s block isn’t just reserved for authors or songwriters; it can be a problem for anyone who has to write regularly, including marketers. (In fact, especially marketers, because it’s our job, so we don’t really have a choice!)
Here are some tips for breaking out of it, from the tried and tested, to the slightly more odd unusual tricks I swear by.
Read, read, read!
I think this is the best way to break through writer’s block. It exposes you to new ideas, language patterns, and techniques, filling your brain with fresh material.
While it can be something on your subject matter, even unrelated content can prompt new angles and ideas. A phrase or concept in anything you read can inspire your own work.
Plus, when you switch from writing to reading, you’re still engaging with words but without the demand to create. Often this eliminates the pressure that’s causing the problem in the first place.
Reading isn’t just the cure, but also the prevention. Frequently encountering well-written sentences primes your brain. Often, writers who start to read more find that words start coming more easily because rhythm and vocabulary are freshly activated.
Keep an inspiration list
When I’m reading, I copy and paste phrases I like into the notes section of my phone to revisit when I’m in need of creativity. I’ll also save the names of writers or blogs I like the style of.
I take screenshots too when a headline catches my eye, or I see something I want to come back to, however I almost always forget what they’re for and lose them in an abyss of memes. I’m very much not a Pinterest board type of person, but that might be a more organised way to collate visual inspiration.
Do it another time
I know normally the advice is just to push through and write ‘something’ because “the beginning is the hardest part”, but for days when the middle and end feel just as hard, there’s no shame in swapping your schedule around. Do easier tasks or admin to free up your time to start again when you feel more inspired. Or take a short break and come back to it feeling refreshed.
Write what you’re thinking
Content flows better some days than others. If I’m having an off day but need to make progress, I’ll block out roughly what I want to say in each paragraph, even if that’s literally “write something about the link between SEO and PR here”. When the words are coming more easily, it’ll be much quicker to actually write.
Get someone else to write it
And by someone else, I mean ChatGPT. The good thing about the uprising of AI tools is that if you really can’t bring yourself to write, you can get a machine to do it for you. ChatGPT can generate rough drafts, outlines, or opening lines so you’re no longer facing a blank page. Once something exists, it’s easier to edit than to create from nothing.
You can ask for several versions of a sentence or paragraph. Seeing alternatives helps you choose what resonates and often triggers your own phrasing anyway.
Change something
I feel like the advice I most often see is to move from your study to your conservatory, but for the more common folk among us, it could literally just be moving your desk to face the window.
It can be any kind of change too. Personally, if I’m about to start a new task that’s creative, I find that changing into tracksuit bottoms and sitting cross-legged with a small bowl of grapes or blueberries is how I prepare for my best work.
Find what works for you
Some people have to work in complete silence, while others prefer a little background noise. You might work better first thing in the morning, or perhaps you need a coffee and a couple of hours to wake your brain up. Then there are standing or adjustable desks to consider. Get to know what works best for you so you can preserve your most precious time for your most important content.
Writer’s block isn’t a sign that you’ve lost your ability or run out of ideas forever. More often, it’s a signal that you need a change of pace, input, or perspective. Sometimes the solution is as simple as reading something inspiring. Other times it’s sketching out messy bullet points, moving desks, bribing yourself with snacks, or letting AI give you a scrappy first draft to react to.