Writing Advice When Faced With Writers’ Block

Have you ever sat down and been faced with “The White Screen of Death” – an empty screen and the words just won’t come?
I am going to ask Tom Evans, author of “Blocks” to write a longer guest post on the subject, but here are some tips for writing through those blocks. They are all various ways of changing the angle you are taking on your subject; I have found that making the change often helps me break through a block. I’m not telling this is the best writing advice or the most terrible one, but it helped me a lot in the past.

1. 1. Stop thinking about what you want to write and focus on what does the reader need to read in order for your objective to be met.
   2. Brainstorm and write down at least 10 different ways of describing your subject.
   3. Brainstorm the points for and against your subject. For and against according to whom? Who is known to have strong opinions on your subject? Is there a “right” or “wrong” involved in your subject?

1. Does the subject lend itself to a PESTLE analysis? Such an analysis looks at the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental issues surrounding your subject.
2. If you have carried out a PESTLE analysis, what would be the consequences of a change in one or more of the variables involved?
3. Write a piece explaining why you cannot write the piece you are trying to write!
4. Danny’s (term paper writer) favorite: take the dog(s) for a walk – it is great for clearing your head!