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10 Tips to Beat Writer's Block · The Daily Writer

0:06
SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Daily Rider Podcast, where we bring you tips and inspiration each day to help you build habits for writing success.
0:14
SPEAKER_00: For more resources, including your free Daily Rider Starter Kit, visit DailyWriterLife.com.
0:22
SPEAKER_00: Whatever you're working on right now, you're bound to get stuck at some point.
0:26
SPEAKER_00: When you stumble upon our old friend, lovingly called Writer's Block, here are 10 tips to keep the words flowing.
0:34
SPEAKER_00: Number one, lower your standards.
0:37
SPEAKER_00: You know many times we get stuck because we're trying to make it perfect.
0:41
SPEAKER_00: So be willing to write garbage just to get the first draft done, then you can go back and revise it later.
0:48
SPEAKER_00: Number two, brainstorm ideas on a whiteboard, legal pad, or a post-it note.
0:53
SPEAKER_00: When you change the size of the canvas you're writing on, it oftentimes helps you get past your writer's block, whether it's a huge canvas like a whiteboard or a tiny one like a post-it note.
1:04
SPEAKER_00: Number three, take a nap.
1:07
SPEAKER_00: Honestly, you might just be tired.
1:09
SPEAKER_00: History is replete with examples of famous creative people who took naps during the day to be more productive.
1:15
SPEAKER_00: I do that myself almost every day, and it really, really helps.
1:20
SPEAKER_00: Number four, take a walk.
1:22
SPEAKER_00: Whenever you get up and go for a walk, the blood circulates in your body more, so you're going to be more alert and attentive.
1:29
SPEAKER_00: It's amazing how many problems get solved in your head just by going for a 10 or 15 minute walk.
1:36
SPEAKER_00: Number five, play with a toy.
1:38
SPEAKER_00: I keep several toys right around my desk area just to fiddle with and fidget with every once in a while.
1:43
SPEAKER_00: I have a top from the company Forever Spin.
1:46
SPEAKER_00: I have a few snake toys that I can make into different shapes, and I have a ball that I can bounce on the wall and drive everybody nuts with whenever I just want to think about something.
1:54
SPEAKER_00: I highly recommend you just keep some toys around your desk so that you can fidget with them and switch your brain activity and allow your brain to focus on solving a problem without thinking about it directly.
2:06
SPEAKER_00: Honestly, I know this sounds crazy, but just keep a few toys around your desk.
2:10
SPEAKER_00: It really does make a difference.
2:12
SPEAKER_00: Number six, get up and drink a glass of water.
2:16
SPEAKER_00: Most of us are dehydrated much of the time, and getting up to grab some water refreshes your body as well as your mind.
2:23
SPEAKER_00: Number seven, practice free writing for three minutes.
2:28
SPEAKER_00: Free writing is just letting your hand write whatever comes to mind without stopping or judging yourself.
2:33
SPEAKER_00: It clears your creative palate and it lets your subconscious take over for a bit.
2:38
SPEAKER_00: It also helps break creative blocks.
2:40
SPEAKER_00: Number eight, switch locations.
2:43
SPEAKER_00: I suggest going to another desk or another part of the house if you're feeling creatively blocked.
2:48
SPEAKER_00: Or you can go somewhere else entirely like the library or a coffee shop.
2:52
SPEAKER_00: The change in scenery really sparks your creativity.
2:56
SPEAKER_00: Number nine, switch media.
2:59
SPEAKER_00: If you're writing on a computer, switch to a legal pad or a journal, and vice versa.
3:04
SPEAKER_00: Use a different writing tool like a marker or a crayon that's more fun.
3:08
SPEAKER_00: Again, you're helping your brain to make a creative switch that will break the block.
3:13
SPEAKER_00: And number 10, read something for 10 minutes.
3:16
SPEAKER_00: Preferably read something in print, because the change in media and also holding a tactile print book is going to give your brain some new input.
3:25
SPEAKER_00: Now, since I'm me, I want to give you two bonus tips.
3:29
SPEAKER_00: You know, when I was a college professor, students always made fun of me because I was always like the handout guy.
3:34
SPEAKER_00: I always had all these thick handouts I gave them in class.
3:37
SPEAKER_00: And the same is true for this podcast.
3:39
SPEAKER_00: I always want to throw in a few extra things for you guys.
3:42
SPEAKER_00: So, two bonus tips here.
3:43
SPEAKER_00: Number 11 is do a mundane task.
3:47
SPEAKER_00: I recommend taking a 20-minute break for a mundane chore like doing dishes, doing yard work, or folding laundry.
3:53
SPEAKER_00: This is kind of similar to getting up and walking in that it gives you something physical to do.
3:58
SPEAKER_00: The new energy and a change of pace is going to give you new ideas and solutions to your writing block.
4:03
SPEAKER_00: And I've got to tell you, whenever I go mow my lawn, for example, it's amazing how many ideas I come up with just by, you know, ranking the leaves or mowing the lawn or cleaning the garage or something like that.
4:13
SPEAKER_00: It's pretty amazing.
4:14
SPEAKER_00: And finally, number 12, and this is one of my favorites, write your content as an email.
4:20
SPEAKER_00: If I'm feeling stuck, sometimes I'll open up my email app on my Mac and I just write in that.
4:26
SPEAKER_00: And that way it feels like I'm writing an informal message to a friend rather than writing something like Inscrivener or Word or Google Docs where it feels like the stakes are higher.
4:35
SPEAKER_00: For whatever reason, that really works for me.
4:37
SPEAKER_00: It sounds crazy, but give it a try, and I think you'll like that tip.
4:42
SPEAKER_00: So these are not just 10, but 12 great tips for beating writer's block.
4:46
SPEAKER_00: So if you're feeling blocked or you're feeling stuck in your writing, pick one of these tips and use it today.
4:51
SPEAKER_00: So here's today's question which tip are you going to use to help you defeat writer's block?
4:57
SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, and I'll see you tomorrow.