Ways Around the Writer's Block

While tutoring a student at the University Writing Center this past Friday I was asked an interesting question by the student. During this particular tutoring session this particular student was working on a research essay in which he was researching the reasons why horror movies are 'good' for people to watch. We had made it through his introduction and his first body paragraph, when he seemed to hit a wall. He was struggling to formulate a sentence about the addictive qualities of horror films. After a few minutes I threw him a bone, one that he found much better than I expected he would. I proposed a sentence mirroring this one: “Horror movies scare their audiences in a way that leaves them craving for more.” Upon stating this sentence the student's eyes lit up and he sat back in his seat and said: “how in the world do you come up with this kind of stuff when you are stuck on a sentence or thought?” Now I am not claiming that that sentence deserved that grand a response, because, in all honesty, it did not. But the student's question really got me thinking. While watching a series of short films the next day I began to question myself asking the same thing about the directors of these short films. “How do they come up with these ideas?” “What techniques do they use to brainstorm their ideas when they seem to have none?” So, in light of these questions: what are some ways writers get around what has been coined writer's block? Are there any helpful techniques one can use when they seem to feel uninspired or stuck?” Though I do not claim to know the one and only way to get around a situation of writer's block. I do, like am sure everyone does, have my own ways of spurring my thought process and I will share these with you today.

For me, the four main instances where I write creatively are when I write essays, poetry, short-stories, and (my personal favorite) lyrics. Though these types of writing are very different, I use similar techniques when writing for each. The first method which I bring to you is tried and true. It has been handed down from generation to generation, not in my own family, but the family of my high school English literature teacher. From him, the technique was told to me and since then has saved me from many instances of writer's block. There is no easy way for me to ease into this technique so I'll just say it outright: take a shower. Yes, you heard me. Head into the bathroom, lock the door, and take a nice steamy shower. Something about the combination of excess oxygen reaching brain because of the rising steam clearing the airway and the tantalizing water massage of the faucet against the outside of your cranium stimulates the brain into 'working' or better yet, 'writing.' I cannot tell you how many times I have simply been unable to come up with an 'acceptable' thesis only to take a shower and have the 'ah-hah!' moment after spending only a few minutes under the spigot of knowledge. Having a pen and paper close by is highly advised during this technique as the accumulation of ideas can be forgotten if not written down.

The next technique is one of my favorites because it always seems to work. Whether it be because I love to do this or because the physiological needs of my human body require it, but taking the time to eat some food and drink some water never seems to let me down. I have heard people say that a happy wife means a happy husband, well if that is true, and this were a question on the SAT then happy wife is to happy husband as full stomach is to functioning brain. The brain is complicated. In fact, it is the most complicated organ of the entire body and the one that we know the least about. One thing we do know about the brain is, like all other organs, it requires nourishment to function efficiently. Just like a muscle cannot work properly without energy, the brain cannot work properly without food. Taking the time away from your laptop or notebook just to eat and have something to drink, while thinking over the writing task at hand can, work wonders on your writing process as a whole. This time away always leaves me feeling refreshed and ready to get back into the writing I was struggling with before.

The third, and final, thought provoking technique is one that I use throughout all of my writing, both musically involved or not: I bring in the music. I know not everyone plays an instrument out there, but that does not mean this technique does not apply to you. Music has been proven to be extensively stimulating to both sides of the brain and for me it does just that. Whether it be a line of an essay or of a poem, this technique has helped me overcome writer's block many times. I always have my guitar next to me while writing anything, and I never hesitate to pick it up and spend a few minutes just strumming away (in a way applicable to what I am writing) while thinking about what it is that I am writing. This technique helps to relieve some stress and sparks ideas that remain dormant while I am just staring at the blank of the page in front of me. As I said before, I realize that not everyone plays an instrument, but for those of you who do, try this technique next time you are stuck and see if it helps you at all. For those of you who don't play an instrument try listening to music that is complimentary to the theme of what you are writing about. For example, while my student was stuck on the sentence about the addictive qualities of horror films, some creepy sounding music could have helped spur his mind with ideas as the music itself would invoke his own emotions about how he feels while watching a scary film. Either way, use music to your advantage when feeling stuck or uninspired.

Though I could continue to share all of the ways I find inspiration and overcome my own instances of writer's block, I am going to stop here for now. I am sure your eyes are tired. The remainder of my odd anti-writer's block techniques shall remain a mystery for the time being, but may one day appear as a new hit on the shelves of the bookstores across America. However, just because my additions to this list have ended doesn't mean the list is complete. I now pose the question for all of you reading this to answer. What are some of your own techniques that you use to find your way around writer's block? Where do you find your greatest sense of inspiration? What do you do when you feel uninspired as a writer? With these questions asked and the techniques I've provided in mind, you are all well suited to come up with some answers. So go take a shower, have something to eat, and listen to some music, and when you're done come back and share your answers. I look forward to your replies.

Until next time,

Your Hart,

Nick