Overcoming Writer’s Block
Everyone at some point develops a case of writer’s block. Not even the most prolific authors are productive every day. Here are a few reasons why people experience writer’s block and how you can avoid or minimize the pitfalls:
- You don’t know enough about the subject. Solution: read/learn more before you begin.
- You know too much information and aren’t sure where to start. Solution: practice the art of “Brain- dumping”. In 10 - 15 minutes write as many key points as you can think of. Don’t evaluate whether they are useful or not. Simply write uninhibited. Then, go back and consider the usefulness of each point, categorize them, and prioritize the points. Other people find creating an “elevator speech” about their project helpful. Pretend you are in an elevator and you have only the time from when the door closes to the time it opens on the 15th floor to describe the important points of your project to the other passenger. This will help you focus on the key points you should make in your writing.
- You can’t seem to organize your writing. Solution: build a graphic organizer or create an outline. Explain your project to a friend or colleague. Answer their questions. Note topics that they find confusing. Use this practice to refine your message and your outline.
- Don’t be a perfectionist. Solution: the most important thing is to get everything you can on paper. This is not the time for tweaking your writing. You can review the usefulness and polish the writing later. Grammarly is a good source for getting assistance with editing.
- Don’t start at the beginning. May people find working from the introduction to the conclusion filled with frustration. Solution: start with the part that is easiest for you. For many people, this section is the methodology because it is concrete and you are comfortable telling others step-by-step what you did. Ask yourself leading questions, such as “What did I do?” “Why did I do it?” “What were the results/what did I learn?” “What does it mean?” “What else should be done?”
There are things you can do to improve your productivity:
- Know yourself – When is your mind most active? First thing in the morning? In the quiet of night? In the shower? After reading someone else’s work? When you are listening to music? When there’s no one else around? Whatever your most productive period is, take advantage of it!
- Take frequent breaks - Some of you may remember the Pomodoro Technique from NRES 594. It advocated 25 minute work periods with a 5-minute break, and a longer break after several productive sessions. During the break, stand up and stretch. Get a cup of coffee. Turn on some music and dance. Read your email (but limit yourself to 5 minutes!)
- Set reasonable goals - It is unlikely that you will be able to sit down and write your paper from beginning to end in a weekend. It is equally unlikely that you will be able to submit your first draft! Set small writing goals that you can accomplish, and reward yourself when you have completed them.
- Reward your progress - Don’t chastise yourself if you didn’t accomplish the goals - Reflect on whether the goal was reasonable, or not. If it was reasonable, ask yourself how you could have achieved it? What should you have done differently? If the goal was not achievable, revise your expectations and move on from there.
- Establish a game plan for your writing - Should you try to write a summary or abstract before or after writing the rest of the paper? When in your writing process will you write the literature review, or methodology, or discussion of results? An outline might describe the content and structure of your paper, but not necessarily the process or flow of writing the paper. Develop a plan for your writing.
Here are some good tips for improving writing performance:
- Write regularly. Whether it’s ½ hour each morning before work, or 2 hours each evening, establish a pattern. Stick to the pattern. Make it a priority.
- Gather your tools before you begin. Make sure you have paper, pencils, the computer, highlighters, erasers, etc.
- Minimize distractions. Turn off the phone. Go to a quiet place in the house where you won’t be disturbed – or go to the library. Let others know not to disturb you during this time.
- Be in a comfortable environment. Is the lighting good? Is the temperature okay (not too chilly and not too warm)? Is the workspace clean and comfortable? Don’t try to write on your bed. Don’t work where it’s cluttered.
- Don’t set limits. Some days you will be able to write 10 pages, others you will be lucky to write 10 paragraphs. It is better to set aside a designated amount of time than to designate a specific quantity of work.
- Don’t force it. When you absolutely cannot write, don’t push it, but use the allotted time to do something productive… read a peer-reviewed article about the topic, create a slide for your PowerPoint, reflect on what you could have done differently in your project. Use the established time (From #1 above) toward your project, even if you do not feel ready to write. BUT, don’t make a habit of not writing. Remember, the best thing you can do is establish a writing pattern – and make that your priority.
- Use other opportunities to practice the style you need to emulate. Scientific writing is very different from conversational writing. Reading the works of others in the same field and reflecting on the style, language (vocabulary), and approach they used will help you know what is expected in your field. Use or create opportunities to practice this style. (For example, NRES 500 is an excellent opportunity to view the presentations of prominent speakers across many topics of interest in the field, to critique their work and their presentation style, and to write brief summaries.)
By setting regular writing periods, establishing achievable goals, and rewarding your progress (whether big or small) you will find the process less overwhelming and you will accomplish much more!
