30 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block for Bloggers
By Pinyo • Feb 21st, 2008 • Category: Writing Tips and IdeasIt happens to all of us one time or another. You stare at the blank screen, or perhaps one with a half-written post. You stare until you feel like pulling your hair out….and still nothing. You just crashed head on against writer’s block.
Photo by Mayr via Flickr
Hopefully, you have been pacing yourself and haven’t try to post more frequently than you could manage — if you aren’t, I recommend that you read Why Blog Post Frequency Does Not Matter Anymore. Assuming you’re pacing yourself for long-term success, here are some quick ideas:
- Don’t write for the day. It’s your blog, why go crazy with imaginary deadlines?
- Take a walk
- Take a shower
- Go to a different room
- Go outside of the house
- Read a book
- Watch TV
- Turn on the music
- Visit discussion forums in your niche
- Surf the web with social media sites — e.g., StumbleUpon, del.icio.us, etc.
- Read other blogs
- Play out a “what if?” scenario
- Debate other people’s posts
- Build on other people’s posts
- Build on your old posts
- Build on reader’s comment
- Pick up a meme
- Start a meme
- Interview other bloggers
- Review other web sites in your niche
- Observation on the current trend
- Observation on the industry
- Go through your categories and build top 10 lists. But don’t just link, add something
- Do blog search and build themed top 10 lists
- Freewriting
- Mind mapping
- Ask questions
- Start a poll
- Use notebook instead of a computer so that you can doodle your ideas
- Ask for a guest post from your blogging buddies
Here are some more ideas from around the web:
- Hack your way out of writer’s block at 43 Folders
- Overcoming Writer’s Block at LEO: Literacy Education Online
- 10 Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block at Humanus Publishing - Editor’s Blog
- Chipping Away at Writer’s Block at Big Bad Book Blog
- 12 Tips for Battling Blogger’s Block at Performancing
- Cat Got Your Tongue? at WritingThoughts
- How to Conquer Blogger’s Block at Inspirit Blog
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Some great ideas in there. I actually support your viewpoint that you don’t need to freak out if you don’t have anything to write for a day. But I believe that these imaginary deadlines we make up are the real challenges that we should try to beat, to be successful.
I may not post for a day if I have an exam (like 2 in a day, just 8 hours later
!) or something of that sort, but whenever I make a post. It is with this spirit that I am going to raid and take over some-big-thing!
Thanks for the mention of this post from Inspirit.
Good Day.
Thanks for including me in your awesome list of resources for bloggers with writer’s blog.
You’ve got a lot of helpful tips here!
Yeah, I sometimes have trouble coming up with something. I wish I could keep more in mind that I don’t have to post on my schedule if I don’t have anything.
I love talking with Micah about ideas…he often helps me come up with good ideas.
@Abhinav - Thank you. Yeah, I agree that posting regularly is important, but if you have to write crap to fill the spot, then you’re better off
@Laura - it was my pleasure. Thank you.
@Mrs. Micah - Yeah, talking to other poeple helps too. Sometime, they’ll say something and ideas will just pop up.
Now, imagine if you have commenter’s block :-O
Great ideas Pinyo!
Adding something, when I feel really lost, I just take a break from it all. Just go goofing around and then come back refreshed. What I learned from that is that when you can’t seem to get a move on, change can be good. If I can’t get a break, I just go somewhere outside and try brainstorming.
I also research for any new developments and trends in the blogosphere(for my blog is of blogging resources niche), so that when the next big thing comes up, I can ride the wave.
And finally, I keep this notebook with me, which allows me to write followups to the posts that I already did. I just go random on my archived posts and see how I can write a follow up on that.
Cheers!
It’s funny, sometimes I come up on my deadline (self-imposed) and don’t have anything until a few minutes before, then the ‘good idea’ hits and it’s like I can’t STOP writing the article.
I think the artificial deadline helps on occasion to get the brain in gear.
Having said that, there are days I’ve still come up with kerfluffle, and taken the day off.
I just bookmarked this list. I think I seriously do my best work under pressure. If I’m not up against a deadline, I can’t think of anything to write. Maybe this list will help me out, so I’m not always writing at the last minute.
Personally I am glad to know that I am not the only one that has writers block at times. Although it is important not to let days go by before you post. I think most bloggers will forgive if you don’t have something everyday. But it is great to have some ideas on what to do about it.
@Nadz - Good example. And I agree on carrying around a notebook. This is a must do for bloggers.
@Randall - Yeah, sometimes they come in spurt. I love creative spurts.
@Lynnae - Thanks! The funny thing is sometimes our last minute posts turn out to be the best.
@Carol - I think as long as you don’t just stop and let your blog dies, it’s okay.
Nothing worse than trying to put together a post and your mind goes blank, especially when your half way through.
Great read.
Added to TopStumbles:
http://www.topstumbles.com/how.....ogthority/