If your role involves writing, you may have experienced writer’s block. Everyone who writes for a living can struggle with it, even esteemed literary figures and professional copywriters.

Whether you’re tasked with compiling company reports, newsletters, blogs or social media posts, it’s an affliction that often strikes at exactly the wrong moment. However, there are ways to beat it.

Here are our top tips for overcoming writer’s block:

• Focus on something else

Sitting at your desk, staring at the screen and feeling powerless in the grips of writer’s block can be soul-destroying. Instead of procrastinating, move on to a different task or – even better – take a break. Going for a walk has been shown to increase creative output by an average of 60 per cent. This might explain why Steve Jobs was known for his walking meetings.

• Break it down

When a task feels insurmountable, it can help to break it down into smaller, more manageable chunks. Think about how you want to structure your article. Obviously it will have a beginning, a middle and an end, but think about the various points you want to cover, and map out a plan with various sub-headings. Very often, once you’ve got the right structure in place the rest will flow naturally.

• Write anything

Writers are often perfectionists, and this can be a contributing factor when it comes to writer’s block. Don’t be so hard on yourself – remember this is only a first draft and you can always edit and polish it. Simply getting some initial words down on the page can be the key to unlocking what you want to say. A few tweaks here and there will then help to refine exactly how you want to say it.

• Take a fresh perspective

Sometimes you can get so wrapped up in what you are struggling to write that it can be easy to forget exactly who you are writing it for. In this case, take a step back and consider your audience. Who are they? What makes them tick? What do they want to hear? Asking these questions and looking at things from your audience’s point of view can give a fresh perspective to help with your writing.

• Sleep on it

As professional copywriters, time and time again, this has proven to be one of the most effective ways of tackling writer’s block. If something’s not working and the writing isn’t coming together we’ll put it to one side and revisit it in the morning. It’s as though the subconscious mind goes to work overnight to help figure out a solution. Almost always, upon returning to it the next day, the copy flows out effortlessly.

If all else fails, sometimes it just takes a second pair of eyes to look over things. If you’d like further information about our copywriting, proofreading and editing services please contact us for more information.