Strategies for Breaking Through Writer’s Block
Its no secret that every writer gets stuck. The words stop flowing, the melodies are backed up by some unimaginable dam. The creative blockade can last for minutes, hours, weeks, or even months. A drought of inspiration needs to be unworked so that we can carry on with the business of creativity. Here’s a few exercise to try when you want to get unstuck.
Set a Timer for 10 minutes. Grab a pencil and a note pad. Scribble furiously for ten minutes without stopping. When the timer goes off, use a highlighter and identify and words or phrases that can be used in a song. Do this over and over again. Record the words and phrases in your notes app to use as titles or songwriting fodder for when you’re to pen something longer.
Read through a book of poems. As in the previous exercise, record words or lines that stick out to you. You can collage these pieces of other’s poetry together to form new lyrical works. Sometimes when our own words don’t work, we can use those of other’s.
Co-write with a new person. Sometimes all we need is to get into the room with a new energy. Let this person lead and follow them to where they’re going. Help them on their journey and you will inevitably arrive at a new song.
Think deeply about when you are most creative: early in the morning? Late at night? Try to use the magic of those hours and spend a few days trying to write something then and only then. As they say, timing is everything!
Hope these little tasks can help you get unstuck when you’re feeling - well - stuck.
