5 Creative Cures for Writer’s Block

As a writer and a transcriptionist, I spend the majority of my day with a computer in my lap. Of course, it has its perks (mainly, I get to sit in my jammies with my hair in a sloppy bun all day) but sometimes, I start to feel a little lackadaisical about creating anything involving words.

Fortunately, if writer’s block strikes, I have an arsenal of other creative activities to fall back on. And the best part is, they all lend themselves to brainstorming, so they might just help you break down that brick wall of words blocking up your noggin!

1. Move Around

If you’re like me and spend most of your day seated, it’s really important to get up and move around a little bit. Whether you go iceskating, roller skating, or just go for a walk around the neighborhood, getting out of your work space or away from your office can be just the thing you need to blow away the creative cobwebs.

Personally, I enjoy yoga because I can do it in the living room, so I don’t have to leave the house!

2. Read a Book

One of the best ways to refill your creative cup is by taking a sip from someone else’s. So, if you’re feeling bogged down by your own writing, take some time to explore other works. You never know where you might find a spark of inspiration.

As a side note, audiobooks can easily be paired with any one of the other tools on this list!

3. Bake

Making dough balls!

Every Tuesday, I work a shift in my dad’s pizza shop, and the best part is everything I do before the shop even opens! Usually, I make a batch of dough, roll the dough balls, and set them in the fridge to proof. From start to finish, it takes about 40 minutes, so it’s a perfect opportunity to talk to all of the little voices in my head (characters, of course) when no one else is around.

But even if you don’t have a pizza shop at your disposal, take some time to make cookies, bake a pie, or even just make apple chips. A little time doing a creative activity that yields immediate (edible) results can definitely boost your creative energy!

4. Sketch Your Own Fan Art

I’m not a great artist. A sketch that would be simple for some people takes me hours to complete, but it doesn’t stop me from trying to bring my characters to life through a medium other than writing.

If you’re looking for a writer’s block buster that takes up plenty of time (let’s be real, we all know writer’s block has a lot to do with procrastination) sketching out a few likenesses of your characters could be a great way for you to continue working on your project while taking a break from the keyboard. And you never know, maybe you’ll discover something new about a character!

5. Quilt . . .

. . . or throw clay, or paint, or play the oboe, or build model trains, or make dolls, or do whatever creative activity calls to you outside of writing. As people, we are more than one-sided beings. We have the capacity for amazing creativity, and it doesn’t always have to come from the tip of a pen.

So, when writer’s block strikes, take a breath, try something different, and remind yourself: You are creative.

What do you do to defeat your writer’s block? Feel free to comment below!