Bouncing Back from Writer’s Block

It’s right on the tip of your tongue, the idea is flickering in your mind, but you can’t quite put pen to paper. Content burnout, writer’s block, a dreaded dry spell, we’ve all hit that wall. Don’t wallow in self-pity and procrastinate a looming deadline, use our helpful tips and tricks to get the creativity flowing.

Get inspired

When your staring at a blank screen struggling to get the words out, it’s easy to get frustrated. Change up the playing field and immerse yourself in the creativity of others. Explore your favourite authors, professional content of your peers and use their genius to spark your own. Delve into similar genres and themes, you might even find your next muse. Bookmark online publications, archive newspaper articles and dust off a second-hand book. Keep your mind open to different styles and ideas by not focusing on the empty page in front of you.

Have a pen at the ready

A notepad and pen, notebook apps, a whiteboard in your office, whatever you need. As quickly as an idea can spark up, it fizzles away, leaving you tracing steps. If you get a sudden surge of inspo, jot it down. You can revisit and expand on these ideas later when you’re hit with a creative dry spell. Good ideas often strike when you least expect it, so be prepared and have a pen ready.
Be the Man with a Plan

Don’t box yourself into a looming deadline, get ahead of the game and use strategic planning. The future you will thank you later. Writer’s block often strikes when the clock is ticking, call it performance anxiety, it’s a struggle. With today’s tech, there’s no excuse for not being on top of the game. Use apps such as Buffer, online templates or simple resources like Google Calendar  and Scoop to organise your content in advance. Planning and scheduling your content lets you work ahead so you aren’t caught in a last-minute rush. It also ensures your content feed stays consistent, organised and timely.

Play Musical Chairs

Mixing up your workspace can make a huge difference to your creativity. Your environment can easily influence your inspiration and hence productivity. There are plenty of simple tricks to switch things up. Take a moment to re-style your desk with a pop of colour or sophisticated scheme. Hitting stores like Kmart and Officeworks can arm you with a bundle of organisational décor to change up your scenery. Get out and about, head to a local park, cafe, library or anywhere that refreshes your mind. Simply breaking the norm can be enough to reboot your mind.

Take a Break

Settle down, we’re not giving you an excuse to grab a KitKat or binge in 3-hours of Netflix. Removing yourself from a situation and taking five can be enough to overcome your slump. Get some fresh air and endorphins by taking a speedy stroll around the block. Head into the kitchen and pop on the kettle or refuel your body and mind with a snack. However, always be sure to monitor your break by setting a time limit, this prevents your recharge becoming procrastination.

Don’t get frazzled next time you’re facing a dreaded blank canvas, just use our helpful tips and tricks to conquer content burnout. If you’ve really hit a brick wall, holla at hey@wildandfree.com.au and seek consultation from our wild team. The best ideas emerge from teamwork and brainstorming.

You’ve got this!