Can’t seem to get those creative juices flowing? Try these techniques to break your writer’s block.

Writer’s block happens to all writers, no exceptions. Even the best, brightest, and highest-paid writers suffer from being creatively blocked from time to time. It’s a terrible feeling (especially if you have a deadline fast approaching) that can oftentimes lead to days, weeks, even months of blank pages and a whole lot of frustration and self-doubt.

So, to combat your writer’s block, here are some tips to try next time you feel creative constipation hitting you hard.

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Be Gentle With Yourself

Are there things in your life that are draining your energy and putting you in a dark place mentally and emotionally? It’s nearly impossible to create if you aren’t feeling your best. Find a way to do some self-care and try to get to the root of your blockage: Are you having a hard time writing because you have too many other things you need to take care of? Do you need to schedule time to just sit down and write? Are you simply just going through a hard time and in need of some time to relax and convalesce?

Write Journal Pages

If there’s some aspect of your story that’s stumping you, sitting down and writing journal pages by hand might help you. There’s something so visceral about writing by hand, that it almost always puts me in a different headspace and allows me to see things in a different light.

Even if you end with a bunch of pages where you are complaining about life and writing that you hate being blocked and are frustrated, once you’re done with the journal pages, you’ll be in a different space mentally and things might open up for you in terms of your story.

Go for a Walk

If the pandemic taught us anything it was the power of simply stepping outside for a stroll around the block. I’ve learned that my creativity definitely sparks if there’s water or nature around me.

So, go for a hike if you can. Sit at a park and simply stare at trees and feel the sunlight. Let your mind wander and focus on your breathing. After that, sit down and write about that walk. What did it feel like? Who and what did you see while walking?

Write a Monologue for a Secondary Character

This will also help you connect with some of your smaller characters, but writing any kind of monologue for your characters will be a fantastic exercise and something you might not do when you are in the zone and writing a lot of scenes. I will also suggest writing a character biography for any character. Those writing tasks will for sure spark something in your mind that will help you continue writing your story.

Write a Scene that Would Never Exist in Your Script

Take your protagonist and put them in a situation that has nothing to do with your film. For example, what would your protagonist say to their favorite celebrity if they ever met them? What would your protagonist do if they won the lottery? What would your protagonist do if they were framed for murder? Have some fun and give yourself permission to write something that has nothing to do with the story you are writing.

Most of us are so result-oriented that we never take the time to just have fun and experiment this way. Telling yourself there’s no pressure will relieve the internal expectations you have to be productive.

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If all of these suggestions fail, feel free to write an angry email to me telling me how my suggestions suck. I encourage you to do so! Because the cure for writer’s block is to write. Write anything at all. Write the reasons you love or hate the story you are telling. Write an angry letter to your ex. Whatever you do, just write something to get yourself out of the headspace where you are constantly telling yourself you are blocked. Just keep writing!

Julia Camara is an award-winning Brazilian screenwriter/filmmaker. Julia won a Telly Award for the sci-fi found footage feature Occupants. Julia’s feature directorial debut In Transit, won Best Experimental Film at four different festivals. Julia’s other writing credits include Area Q and Open Road.