Everyone knows the feeling of hitting a brick wall when composing an important essay for your class assignment. It’s like your brain goes on lockdown, and nothing – not even the juiciest of ideas – will come to mind. This frustrating phenomenon is known as writer’s block. If you are a student, you probably find it harder to overcome writer’s block than others because you have so many different assignments that demand different kinds of writing. However, this doesn’t mean that you cannot find ways to overcome the roadblock and get back into the groove of things. Here are some ways you can help remedy your symptoms of writer’s block as a student:
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Identifying the Causes of Writer’s Block
The first step to remedy writer’s block is to examine what is actually causing it. It is perfectly normal, even experienced writers sometimes suffer from writer’s block and in fact the more you know – about grammar, audience expectations, or even your subject matter – the more you may struggle to know where to start. It is a good idea, then, to determine what is causing your writer’s block, so that you can be more purposeful in addressing the problem.
- Having too few ideas: There are times when you think that you will never have another good idea again. This causes you to go in circles, trying to figure out what to write and how to write it.
- Having too many ideas: There are times when there are a million ideas circulating in your brain but you have no idea where to actually start. Anyone who has gone through this can testify that this leads to writing nothing
- Having a hard time expressing yourself: Sometimes it could get hard to put your thoughts into words even though you want to write.
- Having distractions: Studies have shown that it takes about 20 minutes to get back into the mindset to start concentrating on your task again after being distracted.
- Fearing failure: It never feels good to fail at anything. Especially if you are a student working on an important assignment. Feeling like this could lead to writer’s block.
What to do when you have writer’s block – tips to overcome it
Read up on your chosen subject
When you are suffering from writer’s block, it can be helpful to read up on your subject matter in more depth. This will give you new topics to write about and spark ideas about how to structure your essay more effectively. When you read, you don’t just want to assimilate the information, but you also want to think critically about it. Doing this will allow you to approach your reading with a different mindset and will help you to engage with the material in a new way, which will help to spark ideas. Another thing to keep in mind when reading is to try to avoid reading with a specific purpose or structure in mind. This could actually inhibit your ability to engage with the text properly. Instead, try to read with curiosity and an open mind, and let the text speak to you.
Try Freewriting and Brainstorming
Another way to overcome writer’s block when you are a student is to try freewriting and brainstorming. This tip is quite legit. Go ahead and write off everything you are thinking at the moment related to your essay topic. Try creating your mind map and ignore punctuation, grammar and all the usual restrictions and see what you write on the paper. This could lead to many great ideas manifesting themselves on your paper and could help you write a revolutionary paper later
When you try freewriting and brainstorming, not only will it help you to get unstuck, but it will also allow you to approach your essay in a new way and could even help you to improve your overall writing.
Change the way you think about your assignment
Sometimes, the problem with writer’s block isn’t that you don’t know what to write, but that you have too many ideas. When you have too many ideas to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which topics you want to explore, which direction you want to take your essay, etc. This is where it can be helpful to change the way you think about your assignment. Once you have completed your essay, you will have no control over it, so it makes sense to think of your assignment as a seed and to let it grow organically in your mind. Try not to overthink things, but instead, let your essay grow and evolve naturally in your mind. Let it flow where it wants to flow and explore the topics it wants to explore. Instead of trying to hold your essay back, let it flow and breathe, and you will be surprised by what you discover.
Getting Stuck due to the assignment format and structure
Essay writing can be hard enough already on its own but combine it with writer’s block and you will have a whole other problem. A lot of time students focus a lot on essay writing format and structure and they should. However, it is best that when you are writing your first draft you would just write it without caring about anything else and then when you are satisfied with your work then you begin structuring and formatting your essay. Worrying about the essay structure and format at the beginning of the essay writing process will only make it more difficult for you.
Take a break and exercise
Sometimes, it can be helpful to take a break from the assignment entirely. Go for a walk, do some yoga, go to the gym, or try some other exercise. This can be a great way to refocus your mind and help you to get some ideas flowing again. Exercise also has a host of other benefits, including helping you to reduce stress and anxiety, boosting your creativity, and improving your overall health. However, you should be careful not to overdo it and spend more time exercising than writing. This can become counterproductive and can actually inhibit your ability to focus and write effectively.
Find new sources of inspiration
When you are struggling with writer’s block, it can be helpful to look at other sources of inspiration for writing. By reading up on other writers, particularly those with a similar writing style to you, you can learn from them and find ways to incorporate their writing styles into your own. Inspiration for writing can come from anywhere, so there is no point in limiting yourself to just one or two sources. Open yourself up to new possibilities, and you might just find a new source of inspiration.
Conclusion
As you can see, writer’s block is something that affects almost everyone, but it doesn’t have to be a problem. With the tips outlined in this blog, you will find it easier to overcome writer’s block and get back into the groove of things.
Also, if you are suffering from writer’s block and on top of that you have other assignments as well, there is no shame in asking for help. Assignment Studio’s Essay Writing Service is here 24/7 to help students like you achieve the grade they are hoping for at minimal prices. So, take advantage of our writer’s expertise and get that A+ you are dreaming of.
