Emily VanderBent
I usually do one of the four following things to deal with writer's block.
01: Writing Prompt
Writing prompts are a fun, easy way to help you refocus and get the words flowing. They give you a starting point, but also the freedom and flexibility to go as in depth as you want in your answer. I have a book of prompts, but if you don’t have one on hand, you can google ‘writing prompts’ and several will pop up for you. The goal here is to simply get words out. Even if the prompt you choose is completely unrelated to the element you are stuck on, seeing words written on a blank page will boost your confidence in your ability to write.
02: Story Dump
Story dumps are particularly great for fiction writers. All you need is a piece of paper, a pen, and a timer. Set the timer (I will usually do somewhere between 2-5 minutes) and write down everything you know pertaining to what you are stuck on. Set the timer again, but this time, write down everything you don’t know. I will often do this several times with different elements of my story (ie: characters, scenes, plot points, etc.). The key is to not think too hard about it and write down everything that comes to mind, no matter how small or insignificant the detail may seem.
03: Style Read
Take a break from staring at the screen and pick up a book by an author whose style you want to emulate in your writing. For example, if you are stuck on pacing, read a book or section of a book by an author whose pacing you appreciate and try to mimic the flow they create. It helps if you use an author you have read several times and/or multiple books by because you are more familiar with 1) the story and 2) their writing style, but any book where the author demonstrates well the element you are stuck on works.
04: Mood Board
Create a mood board for your book and/or your characters. This can be a physical cork board you pin pictures to and set out while you’re writing, an online board on a platform like Pinterest, or a combination of both. The goal here is create visuals you can refer to and transfer into descriptions and other elements of your story.
You can find my full article on dealing with writer's block on my website/blog: https://www.emilyvanderbent.org/post/...
01: Writing Prompt
Writing prompts are a fun, easy way to help you refocus and get the words flowing. They give you a starting point, but also the freedom and flexibility to go as in depth as you want in your answer. I have a book of prompts, but if you don’t have one on hand, you can google ‘writing prompts’ and several will pop up for you. The goal here is to simply get words out. Even if the prompt you choose is completely unrelated to the element you are stuck on, seeing words written on a blank page will boost your confidence in your ability to write.
02: Story Dump
Story dumps are particularly great for fiction writers. All you need is a piece of paper, a pen, and a timer. Set the timer (I will usually do somewhere between 2-5 minutes) and write down everything you know pertaining to what you are stuck on. Set the timer again, but this time, write down everything you don’t know. I will often do this several times with different elements of my story (ie: characters, scenes, plot points, etc.). The key is to not think too hard about it and write down everything that comes to mind, no matter how small or insignificant the detail may seem.
03: Style Read
Take a break from staring at the screen and pick up a book by an author whose style you want to emulate in your writing. For example, if you are stuck on pacing, read a book or section of a book by an author whose pacing you appreciate and try to mimic the flow they create. It helps if you use an author you have read several times and/or multiple books by because you are more familiar with 1) the story and 2) their writing style, but any book where the author demonstrates well the element you are stuck on works.
04: Mood Board
Create a mood board for your book and/or your characters. This can be a physical cork board you pin pictures to and set out while you’re writing, an online board on a platform like Pinterest, or a combination of both. The goal here is create visuals you can refer to and transfer into descriptions and other elements of your story.
You can find my full article on dealing with writer's block on my website/blog: https://www.emilyvanderbent.org/post/...
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