How to Deal With a Creative Slump
Have you ever found yourself unexpectedly at a loss for ideas while writing an essay or narrative for a class assignment? You feel as though your words and sentences are not following a clear route, or that nothing you write seems to fit with the events’ contents. This phenomenon is often referred to as writer’s block or slump and can occur in any writer regardless of skill or experience. Getting out of a slump can be a great struggle, especially for those who have little to no experience dealing with it. This is why this article is aimed at giving individuals advice on how to overcome their writer’s block.
Table of Contents
Why do you get stuck?
Before we delve any further into how to overcome a writer’s block or slump, it is of great importance to determine the reasons for it. While there are a lot of factors that may affect why an individual experiences a slump, here are the most common reasons that may drive an individual into a slump.
- Not having confidence in yourself
The most prominent reason why an individual experiences a slump is due to their lack of self-confidence. Of course, for most well-known writers, this isn’t the case; however, when you look at the ratio of well-known and experienced writers as opposed to young students who just want to pass their subjects, the population tends to be one-sided.
Not having confidence in one’s can hold back a writer not only in terms of their output but also in their growth as a writer. The lack of confidence also results in a fear of creating something new and unique, which can also lead to the individual running out of ideas and falling into a slump.
- Sticking to the rules
Being adamant about following the rules is another common reason why people may experience a slump. Basic grammar standards must still be adhered to, of course, but the constraints governing traditional writing and composition can significantly stifle an individual’s originality.
As long as you are not writing an academic paper or a piece that requires you to follow a strict structure, you have the freedom not to stick to the rules. While making a piece that follows the rules down to the last period can be very appealing, it leaves little room for creativity and will eventually choke a writer, especially if they have little experience in the field.
- Being too focused on originality
Being creative and presenting new ideas and notions might be a sign of a strong writer, but it can also result in many setbacks. A person may work more slowly than normal if they are overly preoccupied with the requirement that their work be unique because they need to have enough time to come up with fresh and original ideas. As long as you do not plagiarize the entire work, it is perfectly acceptable to draw inspiration from other works. Even the greatest authors occasionally draw inspiration from earlier pieces and incorporate them into their own while giving the idea their unique twist.
- Writing in linear
Some authors, particularly those who are just starting, may adopt a mindset that views writing as a sequential process, where one must begin at the beginning and finish at the end. This is also the cause of the slump that many writers go through. It can be quite challenging to piece together events in your mind without first writing them down, yet writing linearly allows for a great deal of flexibility in the occurrences. For most writers, this makes writing far more difficult than it should be, which could eventually lead to a slump.
How to get past a creative slump?
1. Write as much as you can
Running out of ideas, especially when an individual is in a slump, can be detrimental to their progress. This is why the first tip in the list is to write, write, and then write some more. The more possible outcomes and ideas an individual puts on paper, the more they can edit, revise, and improve those ideas. These ideas can then be used to get out of their slump. The more ideas one writes down, the more options they have as to how to progress their work towards completion.
2. Stick to a plan
This tip is meant to keep you from deviating from your primary goal, in contrast to the last one, which encourages you to write down any thought that occurs to you. Making a basic flow for the piece’s development is essential to developing and following a plan. By following a strategy, you can generate and record ideas that are connected to the overall plot you had in mind without going too far. This keeps the job consistent while allowing for flexibility and adaptability. It doesn’t have to be extremely detailed; it can even be as general as preparing for the protagonist to experience internal conflict in the climax.
3. Seek inspiration
It is quite acceptable to look for inspiration in other sources if one’s own imagination and inventiveness are insufficient. It could be the build-up from another work of literature, a scene from a film, or an artwork. To prevent any potential instances of plagiarism, make sure that your work remains original and distinctive even when you draw inspiration from other sources. One of the best ways to escape a rut is to look for inspiration in other works, which enables a new stream of thoughts to enter one’s head. Incorporating well-known clichés while giving them a fresh twist can also give one’s writing a familiar feel while maintaining its individuality.
4. Try to look at the bigger picture
Looking at the bigger picture is an additional step one can take if looking for inspiration doesn’t work out too well. One can always take a step back, look at the larger picture, and consider what the piece needs in terms of storyline or structure rather than obsessing over the little details. Because they can identify what needs improvement or what is missing from their writing, the writer will be able to make progress on whatever they are writing. Examining their work on a broad scale also allows the writer to assess their fluency, which aids in the editing process.
5. Look at the situation from a perspective
Viewing the scenario from a character’s point of view is an excellent approach to get out of a slump that someone is facing if they are writing a composition that involves numerous characters. By placing yourself in another person’s shoes, you can gain a deeper understanding of the current circumstance and gain a better understanding of what might happen next. Putting yourself in the reader’s shoes is a fantastic substitute if your writing lacks any characters. This will enable you to identify any mistakes or discrepancies in your work. This will also assist you in selecting the following sentences from the list of concepts you have already written.
6. Go for a quick break
While working hard is a terrific way to show that you are committed to the goal, working too hard can also lead to a slump. About half an hour after beginning a task, a person’s productivity begins to decline; continuing to work past that point only causes productivity to steadily decline. For this reason, it’s critical to occasionally take a break in order to recharge. When they return to work, this can help them see what they are writing more clearly and increase their productivity significantly.
7. Take a nap
If all else fails and you are tired beyond compare due to stressing over your slump, then why not recharge your body with a quick nap? A 15-minute power nap works wonders when revitalizing an exhausted mind and body. Not only that, but naps are just great in general. Naps also allow your brain to work out the possible next sentences subconsciously, as your brain tends to still work on a problem even if you have disregarded it.
8. Ask for help
Lastly, you may always ask for assistance from someone else if you are having trouble getting out of a rut on your own. Ask a student, teacher, friend, or relative how they overcome setbacks, or ask them for their opinions and suggestions regarding your incomplete work. You can even ask your tutor for guidance on the subject or just enroll in private language and literature lessons. One excellent technique to gain feedback and see another person’s point of view on your work is to ask for assistance. In the long run, it will help you become a better writer and may even reveal some of your faults.
Conclusion
It’s normal to have a creative slump when writing, but it doesn’t have to stop you from moving on. You can take the appropriate actions to proceed if you are aware of the underlying causes, which may include self-doubt, rigorous rule compliance, or pressure to be totally unique. You can progressively restore your creative flow by writing freely, organizing your thoughts, looking for inspiration, taking breaks, and even asking for assistance. Above all, remember that slumps are transient and treat yourself with kindness. Your creativity will come back stronger than ever with perseverance and patience.
Carelle
Carelle is a teacher who has been through the ups and downs of the teacher and learner life. She wishes for every learner to gain educational satisfaction that will help embody the people they want to be in the future.
