How to overcome writer’s block

It’s as easy as reading this sentence.
 
People often ask us, “Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?” And they make that scrunchy face of concern when they do. They almost seem disappointed when the instant answer is “No.”
 
The very term “writer’s block” is insidious. It implies a condition that shouldn’t exist. It invites a sort of hypochondria of creativity. If the term didn’t exist, the condition wouldn’t, either.
 
That said, can your creative juices sometimes congeal? Of course. Some days are better than others. But there is never a complete blockage. If you convince yourself of that, you’ve failed before you’ve started.
 
So with an optimistic outlook for your literary prospects, here are some tips for clearing those hurdles, whether real or perceived.
 
Consider the assignment
 
These articles are devoted to business writing. Defined, loosely, as “writing that will contribute to earnings.” If you’re looking for tips on poetry, you’re in the wrong place.
 
So the great news is that you always have an assignment. A clearly defined goal. (If you don’t, something is wrong.) Whether it’s a whitepaper or jingle lyrics (poetry, ha!), you’ve been tasked with producing a deliverable. That alone is an astonishing amount of great input. What you do within those constraints is where the creativity comes in.
 
You could see it as limiting. We see it as liberating. Consider a simple assignment, such as a 60-second radio spot. Invariably, your client will want more than 60 seconds’ worth of material in it. More like, oh, seven hours. But you’ve got the stations on your side. They won’t accept a seven-hour spot. They won’t even accept a 61-second spot. So this forces you to look at all the input, and perform a quick triage on it. The high points of your spot will emerge just like that.
 
Want an even better example? Think of outdoor advertising. In good traffic, someone will whiz by a billboard at a mile a minute. Just how much copy can anyone read in that single second?
 
So once you have your parameters in place, you can go about the steps of…
 
Basic brainstorming
 
You’ve probably seen these tips before, but they’re tried and true. For example:
 

• Go for volume. Set aside time and effort to come up with as many ideas as possible. If you have five, go for 20. Push yourself. We can’t tell you how many killer ideas we’ve seen emerge when it seemed like every ounce of creativity had already been exhausted. Push, push, push.

 

• Don’t pre-judge. “Oh don’t write that one down, it sucks.” Nope. Write it down. Keep going for volume. That half-formed idea may well spark a brilliant spin-off later. If you’re doing this as a team exercise, enforce this rule.

 
Here are a couple of others we’d like to toss into the mix:
 

• Make a free-association list. Think of every phrase, idea, song title, popular character, etc. that has anything to do whatsoever with what you’re working on. Just… spew. Write it down. Every now and then, a little piece of brilliance will emerge and pleasantly surprise you.

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• Go crazy. Go wide. Don’t just stick directly to the topic at hand. Do crazy what-if’s. Remember, you’re not pre-judging. If nothing else, this really forces you to get those juices flowing, and will open you up to more creative solutions.

• Use your tools. We’ve noted this before. Sites like Rhymezone, apps like your dictionary/thesaurus, even plain old Google can help you find overlooked alternatives.

• Work in the distraction-free zone. Keep a diver’s slate in the shower. ‘Nuff said.

• Play with metaphors. Sure, you can do that in the literal sense, in your copy, but we’re talking about bigger-picture metaphors to convey a far broader and deeper customer experience. Want an easy and classic example? Think of two actors playing the parts of competing computers. It might sound silly until you remember the “I’m a Mac/I’m a PC” campaign.

 
Get it off your hands. We think that creative brainstorming is more fun than work. But not everyone agrees—especially when a deadline looms, or when core activities command their attention. If that’s the case, don’t sweat. Get help. Contact us and never worry about writer’s block again.

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