We all get stuck sometimes, in writing - and in life. Luckily, the writing part is a little easier to fix. Liz Morrow and Ariel Curry share their top 5 tips to getting unstuck. This is an excerpt from Chapter 12 of Hungry Authors: The Indispensable Guide to Planning, Writing, and Publishing a Nonfiction Book (Rowman & Littlefield, 2024). Available wherever books are sold!
Inevitably, no matter how prepped and ready you are, you will get stuck in the writing process. You’ve probably heard this referred to as “writer’s block.” This simply means that you have sat down to write, you might even know what you want to say and… the words won’t come. They are log-jammed inside your mind and your fingers are paralyzed. It happens to the best of us. Here are a few things you can do.
Record yourself speaking. One of the best ways to get the creative juices flowing again is to switch up mediums. You can still make progress on your book even if you are not typing words into your word document. With your book map in front of you, try recording yourself talking through your ideas and stories. You can even have these conversations transcribed and edit them like your manuscript. “Talking out your book” does not usually result in a great enough first draft without a tremendous amount of editing, but it does serve as an effective way to get unstuck when your fingers seem to betray you.
Move your body. Any form of physical movement is great for creativity. Maybe you’ve heard the phrase “get in your body” when your mind is giving you trouble. That’s because exercise has been shown to heighten your imagination and help you come up with new ideas. Our brains change in response to physical activity, in part because of the extra blood flow and oxygen. There are also countless studies about how great some sunshine and fresh air are for our mental health. When you are stuck in your work, get up and move around. Bonus points if you do it outside.
Change up your surroundings. Though we encourage you to have a designated space to write, we can all stagnate occasionally. If the words aren’t flowing, another idea is to literally go somewhere else. Humans are highly affected by our environment, and if you’ve been sitting in writer’s block shame at your desk for the last couple of days, it might be time to shake it up. Try working in a different spot, maybe within your own home or somewhere else.
Free write. Similar to journaling, sometimes free-writing can be the release you need to get things moving again. If you are able to free yourself from the pressure of writing your book and just write in no particular order with no agenda, it can unlock that creative door that seems to be jammed. You can even write about the same topic or same chapter, just tell yourself you’re brain-dumping about it, not officially “working on your book.” It might sound silly, but our brains can be kinda dumb. This is a way to trick yours into working again by taking some pressure off. Much of the goal of this comes back to withholding judgment. The pressure to “get it right” or constantly meditating on how big and important your project is, is debilitating. Try writing only for the sake of writing and see what comes out. You might just be surprised at how usable some of it is.
Do something fun. As professional writers, we have been up against deadlines countless times, feeling like we need to use every last second to work until the end and make sure it’s perfect. This is a recipe for burnout. One of the best things you can do for yourself when you feel like the words just aren’t turning out how you want them to is to go do something fun. Even and especially when you feel like you “can’t” or “don’t deserve it.” You do deserve it. The work will get done whether you make yourself miserable or not. Go get a dopamine hit and let yourself enjoy it. We promise that it will actually improve your writing.
Liz Morrow is an author, ghostwriter, collaborator, and thought partner for entrepreneurs, leaders, industry experts, and high-net-worth individuals. She has been writing professionally for over ten years, sold book proposals for multiple six figures, and published with “Big 5” publishers.
Ariel Curry is a senior editor for nonfiction at Sourcebooks with over 10 years of experience in traditional publishing. As an editor, she enjoys brainstorming and outlining new book ideas, bringing clarity and purpose to prose, and helping authors build their self-efficacy.
How do you get unstuck? Share your tips in the comments!
Thanks for this, Kristen! I participated in a webinar not too long ago, in which Liz and Ariel were interviewed. So cool to see your connection with them here.
Thank you for featuring our book!!