No matter what your major is, at some point, you will be completing writing assignments. At this point in the semester, I'm sure all of you have done this. Sometimes there's a dreaded spot in the writing process where we get stuck. What exactly is writer's block? It can be defined as "an overwhelming feeling of being stuck in the writing process without the ability to move forward and write anything new" (MasterClass). It's especially frustrating when you've got a close deadline, but nothing is coming to your head. Therefore, this post is aimed at combating that block by going through different scenarios where writer's block may occur and offering some strategies to overcome it.
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Struggling to get started?
- Brainstorm! If it's creative writing or an assignment where you have pretty much free reign on the topic, spend some time just brainstorming topic ideas that interest you. Getting all your ideas out is a great starting place. You could also discuss your ideas with another classmate or your professor during office hours.
- Try some invention strategies:
- Ask yourself what your purpose is for writing about the subject.
- Ask yourself how you're going to achieve this purpose.
- Summarize your whole idea and explain it to someone else in a few sentences.
- If the paper involves research, start by taking notes on details that stand out to you, things you find interesting/important, or on places where you disagree with the claim presented in the research.
- Write down all the main ideas you would like to get across in your paper; this can be converted into an outline.
Moving beyond the outline:
When you can't seem to form a solid introduction or thesis, start in the middle! The writing process is different for everyone, and it doesn't have to be linear. Personally, I hardly ever finalize my introduction first. I find that after writing my body paragraphs in an essay, I discover a more solid understanding of my main point. Then, I go back and revise my thesis and introduction. Overall, don't worry about following a specific process. You can use your outline as a guideline, but if you're stuck on a certain part of a paper, make a note to come back to it later and move on for now. Otherwise, you're going to feel like you're making no progress, and that just furthers the stress of writer's block.
You've been assigned a topic you dislike or one that bores you:
- Meet with your professor to discuss how much control you have over the assignment's topic
- Find ways to personalize your topic. Ask yourself questions such as: What knowledge can I gain from writing about this topic? How can it help me? What skills will I be able to practice? Who would benefit from reading my finished product? How can I relate to this topic?
Don't understand the assignment?
- Reread the instructions carefully and make a list of questions that you are confused about.
- Consult your professor about these specific questions for clarification.
- You could also talk to another classmate or a tutor (like visiting the writing center!).
You're worried about writing "badly" on the first draft:
Too stressed and overwhelmed to write anymore?
- Take a break! This could be something as simple as taking a short walk outside. Anything that gives your brain a break from the assignment is really important to refresh and lower your stress levels. Even just a 10 to 20 minute break can give you enough motivation to write a little more.
- Break up your assignment into manageable chunks/set a schedule to work on it. For example, you could plan to write without interruption for 30 minutes each day.
- Ask for help! Coe offers many resources for academic support. Consider visiting the writing center! They can help at any stage of the writing process. You can make an appointment with a specific writing center consultant at this link.
Other quick tips:
- Do something fun or creative on your writing break such as drawing a picture or coloring.
- Freewrite! Set a timer and spend some time just writing whatever pops into your head. Ignore grammar. Ignore writing imperfections. Just get any and all ideas out, writing freely.
- Exercise, meditation, and yoga! These are all great ways to stimulate your brain to help you get through that block in your writing.
- If background noise or the environment you're in is distracting you, find a place to write that doesn't have those distractions such as in the library. You could also just try writing from a different spot in general. Just getting up and moving to a different place can have an impact on your ideas.
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