Don't Get Stuck, Know these Writing Hacks!

You were so excited to write another blog post. In fact, you’ve been thinking about it for days and now that you have your spare time, you grab your laptop.

You are excited to finish the entire blog post in just one sitting. This excitement  enables you to write one paragraph after another in just a matter of minutes. 

As your brain keeps spitting out wonderful ideas, you are certain you can finish your piece in under an hour.

But then, as you reach your 700th word, you no longer know what to write next.

Thirty minutes has passed and not a single word was added to your document.

If you’ve been through the same predicament, do not worry. Writers from all levels do experience getting stuck in their writing project, sometimes.

Unfortunately, getting stuck really sucks!

The excitement to finish your writing task has now been replaced by anxiety, frustration, and even dismay. 

Now, before you start doubting your writing skills, hear me out first.

Or, should I say, read this first!

Writing Hacks that’ll Help You Get Unstuck!

1. Identify the obstacle.

It can be so hard to find a way to get unstuck when you don’t figure out the obstacle first. 

You have to know and understand what keeps your brain from producing those awesome ideas.

Is it your fear of something? Did you have unfinished business somewhere else that keeps haunting your thoughts?

It can be so easy to say that you’re just having that thing called writer’s block. But, sometimes there are bigger and deeper reasons why we couldn’t finish a writing task. 

This is why you have to identify what it is. Otherwise, this hidden monster will keep coming back to haunt you right in the middle of your writing project.

Once you’ve identified what kind of monster you’re dealing with, find a way to beat it. 

2. Go for that 15-minute challenge.

Practice this every day. The best thing about this 15-minute challenge is that it is too short for any hindrances to occur. 

But, when it does, you can’t just let it hinder you because you know you only have 15 minutes. 

Remember that within this 15-minute challenge, you are not letting any distractions get in the way. 

Just keep writing. If you need to do more research, do it. But make sure that you will be able to show progress in your writing task within 15 minutes. 

If you must, set a timer. This way, you will know exactly whether you were able to focus for fifteen minutes or not. 

3. Proceed with writing other parts.

One way to counter getting stuck is to move on. I know it’s a no - brainer, right? 

But, I mean, move on - literally. Check your outline and think about which part you already have some thoughts to share.

Then, proceed right away with writing that part of your blog post. 

This may not be easy to do especially if you have that “OCD” characteristic in you that hates skipping the writing process. 

However, if this is one way of making you productive despite being stuck in one aspect of the content writing process, go ahead and do it.

I have tried this tip several times. It often surprises me when wonderful ideas suddenly come to mind. 

Even more so if these thoughts are connected to the part where I was stuck before!

4. Turn on the music.

This is another effective technique that I have tried countless times. I always harness the power of music to help my mind generate some ideas. 

More often than not, I always end up getting myself unstuck. There is just something about music that relaxes me in an instant. 

When I’m relaxed, my brain becomes more capable of generating ideas that are useful for my current writing task.

You have to make sure to choose the right kind of music. Choose songs that will bring back happy memories. Otherwise, you will only find yourself sobbing with sadness. 

Remember that you are using music this time to cheer you up and get your brains working and definitely not the other way around. 

5. Get some fresh air.

Leave your desk. Go out and get some fresh air. 

Sometimes, we just need a few minutes break so that our minds can once again provide us with ideas needed to complete our writing task.

Please do not think of this as procrastinating. Keep in mind that you are going outdoors to relax your mind and unwind.

When you stay away from your workstation, you allow yourself to breathe. Sometimes, a writing task can be so overwhelming. 

This makes you end up getting confused which of the ideas you have in mind are applicable or not for the writing task at hand. 

When you’re out there you will be able to see a different view. This time, it’s a wider view rather than just the four corners of your room. 

This wider physical view can indeed translate to a wider perspective as well. 

Well, try it and you’ll see what I’m talking about. 

6. Find more references.

Getting stuck doesn't always mean you’re experiencing writer’s block. 

One of the reasons why you’re stuck right in the middle of your writing task is the fact that you lack more information. Needless to say, the best way to overcome this is to do more research.

Go back to your list of keywords. Then, try rephrasing your long tail keywords. 

You may also search for information that’s related to your topic at hand. 

Do this instead of just focusing on what Google spits out after you type in your keywords.

Try to look at your topic from a different angle.

See what information is needed so you can connect it all together to complete your blog post or any writing task.

This tip is easier to do if you employ the mapping out technique before you start writing. 

7. Recall your purpose for writing that topic.

Why did you choose that topic? Remember your reasons for writing that specific topic. 

What is the importance of that topic? Who is your target audience?

When you begin to think of these things, you will be able to recall what information to provide. 

Anyone can get stuck while working on a writing task. 

When there is no amount of research to get your brain cells from working again, look back.

Think of those things that you had in mind that enabled you to start writing. Examine which of those ideas were not put into writing yet. 

Getting stuck also happens when your mind is too busy looking forward to finishing that task. So, try to reverse this process.

Look back and see why you’re writing it in the first place. You will be surprised to know there are still plenty of ideas that you haven’t included yet in your writing.

8. Get help from AI.

Well, I have my own reasons why turning to AI for help is the last tip that I’m going to give in this blog post. 

First, I am not a huge fan of relying solely on ChatGPT for generating ideas. 

Why? Because I’ve already been in the writing industry for more than a decade.

My years of stay in this field has taught me more than enough to be able to come up with this blog site. (Without help from AI)

This is why I only turn to AI tools for “added ideas” in case I’m stuck. 

Therefore, if tips 1-7 in this post wasn’t enough to get you out of that muddy pond, try AI tools.

A word of caution though - these tools are good in generating ideas. But they are also the worst in producing crappy ideas. 

Anyway, these crappy ideas could open up your mind to awesome ideas and get you out of the mud. 

Writing is not just a process. It is an art and a science rolled into one tedious yet very exciting task. 

So, don’t let feelings of being stuck stop you from finishing your writing task.

Keep writing. Trust me. Life is so much better when you do.