10 tips to beat writer’s block

From changing the location to a well-deserved reward

Who’s not familiar with this situation: Quietly, it sneaks up on you – this nasty thing called writer’s block. All of a sudden, you can’t form coherent sentences anymore and the first few lines of a text seem like an insurmountable barrier? Fret not – you’re not alone! The punkt & komma team sometimes suffers from writer’s block too and not every text flows out of our fingertips with ease. What helps us in situations like these are the following ten tips to beat writer’s block and reignite your creativity.

Tip 1

Structure your text!

There are hardly any copywriters who can just start writing. Especially when it comes to more complex topics or specialist texts, it’s incredibly important to come up with a clear structure first. Map out your text strategy or start by writing specific subheadings. A clear outline is definitely going to help get you started.

Tip 2

Start by writing a different part of your text!

You don’t know how to find the right introduction? You’re agonizing over the first sentence? Just start by writing a different part of your text. Nobody demands of you that you start a text at its beginning. Our brain doesn’t work in a linear fashion either, after all. Split your texts into different parts and start where you feel most comfortable.

Tip 3

Stay focused!

An e-mail here, a short phone call there – put an end to the daily distractions! Make time for focusing on your writing without getting distracted by other chores or minutiae. Create a quiet space for you to work in and really focus on the text. You’ll see: Your texts will not only get better but you’ll get them done faster too.

Tip 4

Switch up the location!

You’ve been sitting at your desk for hours and you just can’t think of the right words? Pack your laptop and change the location. It doesn’t matter if you go outside, exchange your desk for your living room couch or a table at your favourite coffee shop – new locations offer new inspiration and ideas. Promise!

Tip 5

Do a writing warm-up!

Writing pros don’t grow on trees! You’ll see: The more texts and text types (from newsletters to blog posts and web copy) you write, the better and faster you’ll be at writing them. Just write a sample text for every text type and figure out where your difficulties lie. It’s important to remain patient and not get scared of an empty sheet of paper.

Tip 6

Dial down your expectations of yourself!

Is it possible that you’re maybe a little too perfectionistic? You really want to write THE perfect text? Forget it! There is no perfect text. Luckily, our tastes and preferences differ, which means that every reader has a different expectation of what’s the perfect text.

Tip 7

Get some fresh air!

You must be jinxed! You just can’t think of what to write? Take a breather and give your white matter a little break. Science shows that our brain can only work effectively for about 90 minutes straight. Then it’s time to stop. Make yourself some coffee, kick back on the balcony or go for a run. A short break never did any harm.

Talk about focusing for 90 minutes straight: The “Focus” app – available for Mac and Windows – lets you segment your workday into chunks and reminds you of taking well-deserved breaks.

Tip 8

Look for sources of inspiration!

You weren’t struck by a flash of genius regarding your topic and its implementation yet? Go on a hunt for inspiration. Read other texts. Create mind maps with key facts. Talk to your colleagues. Or look for inspiration in magazines, on Pinterest or blogs.

Tip 9

Write difficult texts first!

Work seems to be piling up on your desk? Start with the difficult tasks first. You won’t get around doing them anyway – and the deadline will be here sooner than you think. The more you procrastinate, the more time pressure you’ll have later on and the harder the writing process gets.

Tip 10

Reward yourself for a task well done!

Last but not least, the most important tip: You’ve got to reward yourself from time to time! Set yourself a realistic goal that you would like to accomplish by the end of the week and think of a reward for it. You’ve done it? Great! You can be proud of yourself. And now it’s time for an episode of your favourite TV show or an after-work drink with your colleagues.

As you can see: There are countless options to beat writer’s block and spark your creativity. Try our tips and tell us your own secret weapons for overcoming writer’s block!

You’d like to know what your readers are interested in and how to come up with a structure for your texts? Read more about the most important W-question tools.