How to Get Over Writer’s Block: MasterClass Instructor Tips

Writer’s block is a common phenomenon that writers experience when they feel stuck in the writing process; it can come as an overwhelming feeling that impedes them from moving forward and writing anything new. It can be an overarching problem—like struggling with plot or character—or something smaller, like failing to find the right words to describe a scene. While overcoming writer’s block is usually a different process depending on the individual and there are many different causes of writer’s block, many writers have recommendations and strategies to help get you back to work.

If you’re feeling stuck in your creative process, here are a few tips to help you beat writer’s block and move forward in your creative writing:

1. 1. Do something else. Neil Gaiman, the award-winning author of Stardust and The Sandman, says one way to overcome writer’s block is to take a break. “Go do something else,” he says. “Chop wood. Go for a walk. Go for a run. Go for a swim. Go garden. … Go do whatever it is that you can do.” It may seem counterintuitive, but when you take a break, you may find that you get a new idea or feel refreshed when it’s time to come back to your writing.
2. 2. Figure out what works for you. R.L. Stine, the award-winning author of more than three hundred books, including the Goosebumps series, explains that the best thing to do for writer’s block is to follow what works for you—not for anyone else. He explains that he sat down with a writer friend, and they both started to talk about their processes. “Every single thing we noticed, as we were talking, [was] that we're exactly the opposite,” he says. For instance, R.L. likes working on a writing project in silence, while his friend likes writing at coffee shops. “What does that mean?” he adds. “I can only tell you what works for me.”
3. 3. Give yourself a deadline. When you’re feeling especially stuck, author Neil Gaiman recommends giving yourself a deadline. He explains that he once had an editor for an anthology reach out to him about submitting a story. After several weeks of procrastination, the deadline came near, and Neil told the editor he wasn’t ready. “‘Ah. That’s a pity,’” Neil recalls the editor saying, “‘You still have twenty-four hours to get the story in.’” Neil explains that, with that deadline as a motivator, he went out into his garden with a notebook and wrote the Hugo Award–nominated short story How to Talk to Girls at Parties. “It’s quite possible that that time crunch is really what focused me,” he says.
4. 4. Let go of perfectionism. Amanda Gorman, the first National Youth Poet Laureate and the youngest US inaugural poet, says to release perfectionism and just get your first draft on the page. “One of the biggest things that leads to writer's block isn't actually not having anything to say; it’s being afraid to say it,” she says. “It means that, as we stare at that blank sheet, we're worried about whether what we have to say is anything of value, whether our voice, what we’re writing, is any good.” Let go of your fears and let your first draft be rough.
5. 5. Make an outline. Goosebumps author R.L. Stine says that having a concrete plan is a great solution to writer’s block. “If you have an outline, it's very hard to have writer's block,” he says, “because you know where to go next. And if you’re having trouble with one chapter … go onto the next chapter and write that one.” In addition to a plot outline, R.L. also makes detailed descriptions of each of his main characters.
6. 6. Read the piece with fresh eyes. Author Neil Gaiman recommends trying to reread your piece as if you’re a stranger. “Come back, pretending you have never read it before. … Very, very often, once you do that … where you went off the rails becomes obvious.” He has an additional writing tip for identifying your sticking point: “The problem is always earlier than the place where … you're stuck,” he explains. “You actually took a wrong turn a couple of streets back.”
7. 7. Send the right signals to your brain. Poet Amanda Gorman says that having several rituals around your writing time can help get your creative juices flowing. “Maybe there’s a set playlist you listen to when you’re writing. Maybe there’s a set location, a candle that you light when you’re writing. Maybe there’s a specific flavor of tea you’re drinking,” she says. “The more that you can structure and carve out time in your life that's set and specific and guarded and safe where you can write, the less so you'll have writer’s block.”
8. 8. Stick to a schedule. The prolific author R.L. Stine recommends a strict writing routine—complete with writing goals—to prevent lull periods. “Every day, I write two thousand words. … I set a goal for myself every morning, … and then I don't get up ‘til I've done it,” he says. “Maybe I'll take fifteen minutes to have a sandwich. … Then I'm back at it.” By creating and sticking to a writing schedule, you form writing habits that can encourage you to begin your practice each day.
9. 9. Try freewriting. Former Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman says that sometimes, she just needs to sit at a blank page and use a writing exercise to begin a new project. “I just write the alphabet until something comes to my head,” she explains. “Or I’ll write the sounds or the noises I hear in the room. I’ll just write a stream of consciousness [section], and it’s my way of cluing my brain into the fact that it’s okay to fail here. It’s okay to try here. It’s okay to be messy right now because that mess is what's gonna get me writing.”

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