12 Tips for Beating Writer’s Block

On breaking through & getting unstuck

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Writer’s block is like the boogeyman lurking under the beds and in the shadowy closets of every writer. Some are plagued by terror of its presence. Others claim not to believe in it at all. But just about every writer I know has experienced periods where the words just wouldn’t come. Whether it’s not knowing the story you want to tell, not wanting to write the story you’re supposed to, or being in the middle of something that just feels wrong and you can’t move forward until it starts feeling right again, the condition takes many forms.

I’ve been infected by it more times than I can count. In fact, when I wrote Beastly Kingdom, book 2 in The Bliss Wars near-future fantasy romance trilogy, I was stuck for weeks before I was able to recover my flow and pace.

What went wrong? I had a full outline for the novel, and I knew the broad strokes of where the story needed to end in order to set up for the third book. I had the main characters living in my head, both of whom appeared in the first book. I’d already re-written the first twenty-thousand words of the draft once, but for the longest time I just couldn’t get out of the first act of the novel.

This was not the first time this has happened. In fact, if I didn’t get stuck at some point (or multiple points) in a manuscript, that would be far more noteworthy. So, since I’d been through this a time or twelve and had always gotten out of it (even if while I’m mired in it, it feels like I’ll never break free) I developed some tools for chipping away at the dreaded block. Here are my twelve tips for getting unstuck.

1. Re-read what you’ve written.

This assumes you’re not stuck on the first page, which I admit has never happened to me. No matter how much I’ve written, revisiting it is always the first step. Try looking at the words you have with a critical eye. What are they accomplishing? How is the setup of the story? The rising action? The characterization? Is there something here that you’ve gotten wrong and is holding up your further progress?

2. Talk it out with someone.

Whether it’s a critique partner, a non-writer friend, or family member, talk through the story with another human being. Describing the story you have, the story you want, and what feels wrong about where you are now can often jog something inside you. And your listener may have suggestions that, while not necessarily correct, also spark an idea that could get you back on track.

3. Put it through a (different) plotting system.

This one is for the plotters. I usually start with one or two plotting systems when I initially outline my books. Then, when I’m stuck, I pull out a third or fourth one and plot out my beats. Looking at it from a different perspective can often put the problem into better focus.

4. Break down all the actions necessary to resolve the plot problem.

In my course, Imaginary Worldbuilding: Creating Fictional Worlds for Writers, I advocate for developing your world, plot, and characters together. One of the ways I do this is by mapping out the 7 Story Steps I believe are present and necessary in stories.

In brief, these are: the goal of the story, or what the characters are trying to accomplish; the stakes if the goal isn’t met; the obstacles standing in their way; the plan to accomplish the goal; the setbacks they hit while executing the plan; the rewards from following the plan; and the sacrifices or costs they pay along the way.

Breaking the big story into all the tiny pieces gives me ideas for scenes and conflicts to write or a hint as to which of these I may be missing.

5. Complete a character profile.

Most of the time, my story problems go back to my characters and me not knowing them well enough to write them organically. Revisiting their goals and motivations, their backstories, emotional wounds and flaws helps me to get inside their heads more and write their actions and reactions from a more motivated place.

6. Brainstorm in a different medium.

Often my brainstorming is on the computer, typing notes into a text file. However, when I’m stuck, I try to change it up. I will write by hand in my notebook or on a tablet. Or use voice memos to talk it out to myself. Or, if I stay on the computer, use a different font or color to change the way I look at my notes and ideas.