Is writer’s block even real?

Any writer knows this is a contentious issue. Some believe writer’s block isn’t a legitimate thing—an excuse for not getting words on the page—and it’s entirely made up. Others swear by the concept and can distinctly mark times when they have writer’s block and when they don’t.

No matter how you feel about it, the concept of writer’s block is real. Sometimes, we all struggle to focus or put words on a page. So how can you get yourself to write and break through these struggles, especially when you have deadlines?

What do we mean when we talk about writer’s block?

If you’ve ever sat down to write and couldn’t focus, found you had a significant lack of energy, or repeatedly avoided starting a project or task, you’ve dealt with what we consider to be writer’s block.

Maybe you had too much on your plate, felt overwhelmed, or lacked the mental bandwidth to write. These are valid, and it’s happened to all of us (whether we admit it or not.)

“Despite being career writers, there are some days when we just don’t want to write. We stare at the blank page and think: This is awful.”

The good news is: Writer’s block is a surmountable problem. And quite frankly, as a freelance writer, you have to be able to get through it. Here are some of the strategies we’ve used in the past.

Get through writer’s block with these methods

A lack of inspiration, joy, or focus doesn’t mean you can’t physically write great words. Writer’s block is often a symptom of something larger—maybe you haven’t given yourself a proper break in the last couple of hours or even days.

“We feel out of our depths when we can’t get words on the page. There are moments in freelancing when you’re just not as inspired by the writing process as other times.”

Take a step back, see why you might be hitting writer’s block, and see if any of the below methods might work for you.

Work from a detailed brief or outline.

When an assignment is incredibly open-ended, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. At some point in your freelance writing career, a client may give you a simple outline or brief with no guardrails, sources, or suggested ideas. When that happens, it’s harder for you to get started—and it’s more likely that what you give the client isn’t what they wanted, at no fault of yours.

As a freelance writer, it’s your job to try and get as much information as possible about what your client wants. More context for the assignment is always better, so ask your client for more clarity or direction if you need it. This could be in the form of bulleted ideas, a conversation with a subject matter expert, or even an asynchronous Loom recording or video that gives you some insight into their thought process and goals with the piece.

Break the job into manageable chunks.

Writing isn’t only about having your research and outline in front of you—it’s about creating the right milestones to break up the work.

Freelancing gives you a lot of freedom, but you have to be the one to create your delivery schedule and subtasks. Build a timeline where you deliver something smaller more often, with more components to help you along—like interviews, outlining, drafting, etc.

Just write something, even if it’s messy.

We know the idea of writing something you don’t like isn’t a comfortable one. But sometimes, throwing thoughts, links, or blurbs into a messy document is an excellent way to get started, especially if your brain is too scrambled to write a coherent sentence.

“You just need to get the words out. It doesn’t matter if they’re good. Once you dump things on your page, the process is so much easier.”

Instead of writing a polished draft in that blank document, go freeform and sort your ideas out. Place relevant links or quotes under headings. Add placeholders or reminders to expand on an idea later. The writing process doesn’t always have to be so scientific and structured.

Get out of your head and away from your desk.

Sometimes, just walking away is the best cure for writer’s block. Doing something else and letting your brain relax can do wonders. You could:

Get some water
Read
Go for a walk
Stretch
Play with your pet or kids

We’ve even heard reading poetry is a unique way to get the creative juices flowing. Reading unusual formats, especially ones you don’t encounter often, can help you get a fresh perspective on your work and break through if you’re feeling stuck or uninspired.

When in doubt, get help from another freelance writer you trust.

If you feel totally directionless or lost—even after some of the other methods above—consider bringing in another freelance writer to your process. For example, if research is difficult for you, freelancers specialize in that step of the writing process. When all else fails, bring in outside support so you can focus on what you do best instead.

The freelance writing community is incredibly supportive, and many of us are happy to lend an ear. Like we said earlier, we’ve all been through this at one time or another—likely more than once.

Strategies for defeating writer’s block