It happens even to the best copywriters. One minute, your creative juices flow, and the next, you are stuck wondering where all the inspiration went, sometimes even causing you to doubt your ability as a badass copywriter. You tug at your brain to spill the right words, but all you get is crickets.

Two words? WRITER’S BLOCK— a feeling you, me, and every copywriter in the universe dread. 

Sometimes, it feels like you have written all there is with nothing more to write. At other times, filling the blank pages with words becomes too daunting.

What do you do at such times?

Quit writing altogether and ride off into the sunset?

Or find ways to get back in the flow?

Your best bet is the latter, and I know a few tips that can help you overcome the dreaded block. These tips have helped me stay on course, and I’m sure they will help you too.

Let’s jump right into it, shall we? 

Common causes of writer’s block

Before exploring tips for overcoming writer’s block, you should know some of its common causes. They include:

• Fear: Writing is putting yourself—your thoughts and ideas—out in the world for all and sundry and could trigger acceptance, criticism, judgment, or outright rejection. This fear can cause your mind to go blank when it’s time to write.
• Exhaustion: It’s normal for your mind to shut down when you suffer burnout or experience mental, emotional, or physical stress.
• Perfectionism: If you think that every first draft has to be perfect, chances are you’ll put too much pressure on yourself to be super creative, so much so that your mind goes blank whenever you don’t feel you have written something perfectly the first time.

Tips for overcoming writer’s block

1. Meditate

This might seem like a counterproductive suggestion, but hey, shut it all down—your laptop, cell phone, everything. Sometimes, you need to take a breather. Take time away from the overwhelming screens to meditate. So pause and quiet your racing mind.

If you are new to meditation, you may not know the first thing to do to get started in using it to defeat your dreaded foe. Here are some tips you can begin to explore:

• Set a timer: Time goes by slowly when your mind is in a state of rest. Consequently, it helps to set a timer to keep you focused on your meditation for ample time.
• Get comfortable: There is only so much meditation you can do uncomfortably. You want to get as comfortable as possible, as this would help calm your body and mind.
• Focus on your breathing: You spent the last few hours focusing on the blank pages of your screen that stressed you out. Now it’s time to focus on something as simple as your breathing. 
• Verbalize positive affirmations: Whether we know it or not, our minds—and even our brains—listen to the words we say to ourselves. A 2015 study showed increased brain activity in a group that practised self-affirmation, resulting in notable behavioural changes. As you breathe in and out, consider positively affirming your ability to produce read-worthy writing as a creative writer. 
• Keep at it: Meditation is like a marathon, not a sprint. You have to do it long enough to enjoy its results. Get into the practice of meditation when writer’s block creeps up on you and even when it doesn’t.

2. Write away

It is true that we all experience writer’s block. It is also true that sometimes our brains want to trick us out of writing. 

So how do you get out of that trap?

It’s simple. 

Write! Write!! Write!!! 

This suggestion may seem counterintuitive, but it works wonders. The more you write, the more the inspiration flows. It doesn’t have to be perfect at the start. It doesn’t even have to make sense. You can ramble away without pausing or checking for grammatical errors for 10 to 20 minutes until you get back into turbo-writing mode. 

3. Read! Read! And read some more!!!

There is a saying that good readers make good writers. Sometimes, a good read is all you need to clear out the block in your mind and replace it with a burst of inspiration. As Stephen King puts it, “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”

Aside from helping you improve your writing, reading the works of other copywriters, especially relating to the field or topic you’re stuck on, has a way of challenging and motivating you with fresh perspectives.

So, read up copywriter. You just might get your creative juices flowing and then some.

4. Unwind

Do you remember the last time you took a day away from the screens to unwind? In the world of copywriting, the hours quickly turn to days, the days to weeks, and weeks to months. If you’re not intentional about taking the much-required rests your mind and body need, it won’t be long before your mind starts playing tricks on you.

Lack of adequate sleep and rest can cause writer’s block—and let’s not forget the headaches. 

The brain muscles need to be relaxed and well-rested to function and produce the best results. So, develop an adequate sleep and rest routine and stick to it. As simple as this is, it can save you from the shackles of consistent writer’s block.

Another way to unwind is to do something fun. 

Go ahead. Dance to your favourite music. Sing your heart out at karaoke. Take walks with friends. Go hiking. Do the things that make you feel alive.

5. Clean up your space.

Think of your workspace as your creative sanctuary with the capacity to make or break your creativity. Chances are, if it’s messed up and disorganized, you’ll struggle to gather your thoughts and ideas without hitting a brick wall. 

Look around you. 

Is your space inspiring your creativity or limiting it?

If your answer is the latter, you need to spice and clean up your space, as this can help get your creative juices flowing again.