Most people get into this thing called as “writer’s block” wherein they cannot get a topic they can write about. Literally nothing comes out of their mind, zero, zilch! I had experienced it too and in fact I did more than 10 times already.
There has been really some good and lengthy guides out there discussing how to cope up with writer’s block and if you came across some of those and you find them helpful then I suggest you to bookmark them so you have a copy of it which you can reference back continuously.
Anyways in this post, I want to share my unique take on how I deal with it and what I usually do when I literally have nothing in my mind to blog about.
1. If you don’t feel writing, then don’t!
Well this is the basic thing to do. I mean why force yourself to write if you don’t like or feel writing?
This was really my motto since the day I created this blog and many other blogs. If I’m not in the mood then I wouldn’t. After all it’s nice to show a great post which is quite of not the latest rather than show a latest yet crappy low quality ones that will harm your blog more than benefit it.
2. Go outside, Relax
With the first one, obviously you can’t just refrain from writing forever and expect to get same readership after a month or two. That being considered, I’d usually go outside, maybe in the mall and relax. This small thing can help you get back on track and hopefully get some ideas for your posts.
A good rest also helps since no one of us wants to get burned out writing that we end up not enjoying it at all.
3. Read other Stuffs
If you’re still not back in writing mode, you can simply just browse the blogosphere, go to your favorite blogs in your niche and just read and observe what’s going on. Eventually by still being connected and updated to the blogosphere, it can help you think of the topics or just get you involved to maybe write on the current trends or simply just have an opinion on whats currently in.
Those are my 3-step process. It’s pretty simple, isn’t it? I feel fortunate that I can crank out blog articles one after another and with that I really don’t struggle that much with producing content for my blog/s.
But then I know a lot of people who struggle with this. And I hope the 3 step process I outlined above can somehow help you break the writers block. How about you? Do you have any other strategies that you may want to share with me?
I get them a lot, and it is usually because I am spending too much time at the computer. My best ideas come when I am being active (sport/work), but where I am not required to think to much… because it is then that my mind wanders.
Now I just need to find a way to keep track of all the ideas before I lose them. Most of the time, I make a note in my mobile phone.
It seems that you really don’t have anything to blog for today huh? I’ve seen this type of posts before. LOL! Anyway, I agree with you, if we, all of a sudden experienced a “writer’s block”, don’t force ourselves, take our time, gather some ideas and relax. =)
It happens to us all at some point, no matter how good or bad you are at writing.
I normally find a walk will help me get my brain working again, or failing that I will visit other blogs and normally get some good ideas from what other people are writing about.
Mmm, I think also you can consider anticipating events such as these (like writer’s block, or suddenly someone or yourself falling ill etc) and either (1) schedule posts ahead of time and/or (2) have 3-5 backup drafts in your draft folder. This way you can be sure that you can always deliver for your readers Melvin.
Oh ya another I do is to have an idea list of all related and interesting ideas that I feel is relevant of interesting, in case I can’t remember or don’t have any ideas what to write on. =)
i too confess that this is one thing that every blogger goes through and nobody is an exception here…no matter how well one writes or how often he writes, writer’s block will eventually find its way in his blogging schedule.
After a week, a month or a year; you cannot avoid it….
But the trick is coming out of it and not going into it
Well i also keep track of it via phone sometimes but I always have a steno graph notebook and pen with me because I love writing drafts and usually I list things there as soon as they come up to me..
not really. 😉
Actually I do have 4-5 posts on queue and I just picked this post to get published since its been a long time since I last wrote here.
I agree Tushar. everyone suffers from it but what differs is how one handles it. I’m sure probloggers like darren rowse are so used to it that they already know how to deal with it.
New bloggers will always be challenged with this and again the best way like all of us concluded here is to go out first, relax and not force anything.
I can definitely relate as I went through this same situation today. Throughout the entire day I went through about 10 different ideas and tossed them all out before getting home and writing about something completely unrelated to the others.
It really does help to have good sites within your nice to go to to gather inspiration though.
This is something which every blogger has to face. It becomes more difficult if there’s no guest posting facility on his blog (like mine).
I normally move away from my PC and do something else. Or I just open my Twitter feed and search for some good blog posts to read (this one helps me a lot).
And whenever I get an idea or two, I note in down in a notebook for future use.
I agree with Nigel, having a stack of prewritten blogs, an idea file, even a crazy “out of the box” post file would be great for when you hit the writer wall. Because usually your best ideas comes in waves and so those moments of “What to write?”
Thanks Melvin for the simple, but helpful tips on overcoming writer’s block.
If i really do not have thing to write, the best thing for me to do is to market my blog. I will do the link building, article submission and also reading some blogging books to improve my knowledge about blogging. I quite agree with you that we should not force ourselves to write if we really do not have thing to write.
My advice is that enjoy your free time and relax 🙂
LOL I think we have all been there at some point. When I cant find anything to do I will often go and look at someone else business model and try and find a weakness to break lol.
Ya ya, the ideas keep coming and I keep writing them down too!
I get lots of ideas from reading other people’s blogs and twitter. Inspiration sometimes comes from the most unusual places.
Yeah man, I do that too! Sometimes I even get ideas when I do commenting, or when someone asks me a question and then I get to reply it in the form of a blog entry – it becomes more contemporary and relevant that way =)
Thanks Gil, it does help to be systematic too, from my personal experience. Now I’m also realising that I can tie/link two or more ideas together to be a blog topic, and if I plan properly, it can have multiple links of my previous blog posts too =p
This covers precisely one of my points in my recent article about blogging is done “your way” don’t feel pressured to put out a half mediocre post. Take time and take a day off if you need to, find new ways of inspiration by reading the newspaper or news.google.com.
Blog is all about writting and writting from time to time, if you are type that dont like writting you can not be a good blogger. Writer’s block is s common thing that used to happen to bloggers sometime, and the best is to learn how to deal with it.
Writer’s block, eh? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one suffering this and just like what Tushar said, every blogger is going through this. So why force yourself?
Relax and enjoy whatever it is that you’re enjoying. May you find inspiration to write about and share with us… 🙂
” If you don’t feel writing, then don’t! “. Yes, Why write some crap when you don’t feel writing. It’s better to take break and come afresh.
yes you’re right Nigel. I actually have a writing day which is either monday or tuesday or both wherein I typically just spend half a day writing content. When I say writing its not just drafts but fully finished blog articles and save them as drafts.
now the writer’s block shifts to publishing block, lols. 😉
Yep I agree but sometimes it can backfire though. Sometimes just following whats happening throughout the blogosphere is an idea somehow frowned by a lot of bloggers. Imho, i would always try to be unique and innovative with my posts.
hahaha, your comment made me laugh. maybe i can try that as well. 😉
You’re right and I find it nice that you cover it up in your blog. Most bloggers feel the pressure to produce content and while its always a requirement to produce something, it doesn’t really mean we have to force it and try chunk out mediocre ones. Good point Justin.
Ei, i get thet feeling too. I do the same, relax and read other stuffs are just my favs
The writers block syndrome has been one of my main enemies often times and if there is one thing that I do follow all the time is that if I don’t feel like writing, I don’t. when this happens, I take the time to blog hop, leave comments, socialize and of course “getting” a life outside the online world 🙂
Hi Melvin! I admit that I sometimes do have writer’s block too… lol. Great point on “go outside and relax”. We spend too much time on the computer we should really go out and relax to refresh our minds.. haha.
By the way, my buddy has just guest posted on my blog about how to come up with blog post ideas in seconds. He has given a really good tip on generating blog post ideas. Hope it helps you too!
http://www.glosonblog.com/generate-blog-post-ideas-in-seconds/
Right. Right.. If you don’t feel in to write today, you may read and try to write on the next day.