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EXPLICIT CONTENT: How to deal with writer's block

2 mins read

Ever sat down at your desk, cracked those knuckles, got comfortable in your chair - ready to create some phenomenal content that would put Stephen King to shame? Then it hits you like your alarm on a Monday morning or a Mike Tyson hook when you least expect it. Writer's block.

It's what drives every writer insane. Whether it's for a few hours, a couple of weeks or even months, it can be a right pain in the arse to overcome. It's a pest that needs exterminating and it's what Molly, Will and I discuss in episode three of Explicit Content.

 

 

We all have our own ways of overcoming writer's block and it's bound to hit you at some point. If you're tried it all from going on a walk to having a cold shower, check out our tips to see if something else could work for you (perfect if you have a huge workload in an agency or in-house!)

Be inspired by others

Ctrl + C. Ctrl + V. Done.

On a serious note, if you're suffering from your latest bout of writer's block, stop writing and start reading instead. Head to your favourite websites or books you enjoy going back to. What is it about them that gets you hooked? What are they doing that captivates you?

It could be anything from a sentence they used, a brilliant phrase you'd love to work into your content or an idea that springs to mind. Trying to write through writer's block will only result in bang average content as you aren't in the creative mindset.

Reading others' content will help. It'll take the pressure off trying to battle through writer's block and put you in a better state of mind when it comes to writing again.

Lean on your teammates

One of the best parts about working in a content team is that if you're suffering from writer's block, your team has either experienced it or will at some points. If you have that luxury, take a break and lean on them where possible.

You never know, they might have some great advice or ideas - or you can come together like it's an AA meeting to share your struggles and distract yourself from that piece of work for a while.

If you're someone that has cold sweats in bed thinking about a piece of work you're stuck on and need to power through, make sure to hit play above to check out our insights.

Do something creative (hijack a mate's Tinder account)

Overcoming writer's block doesn't mean you have to stop writing immediately. That might work for some, but for others, diving into something else that's creative can help.

Whether it's exploring your inner digital Bob Ross and playing around in Canva or hijacking a teammate's Tinder account to come up with creative responses to creepy questionable messages, there's always something you can do to get your mind off the fact you're suffering from writer's block.

The more you think about writer's block and the fact you're suffering from it, the more it'll annoy you - making it harder to get over it.

Cockchafers, culture and cuppas

In this episode, we also run through why swapping a task you're struggling with to something more fun like a culture piece for your brand can get you in the right mindset. Will ends his tips on why there's nothing a cuppa can't sort and Molly brings the word cockchafers to the table in this week's word game.

Want to hear all the tips and also play along? Watch along on Vidyard or listen on-the-go using the SoundCloud link.

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