Sometimes, during the middle of writing something, you just end up stuck. No matter how hard you stare at the display and tap on the keyboard, there’s just nothing coming.
If you have not yet developed your own system for getting out of this temporary and sudden rut, here are a few things you may want to try:
- If you got stuck in the middle of a paragraph, try deleting the entire paragraph and writing it again. Just like Windows when it gets slow, your offending paragraph may need a reboot, instead of waiting for it to “flow” on its own.
- Run your writing software on the piece and see what it has to say. Sometimes, it may be a grammar or style weakness in the text that’s subconsciously holding you back.
- When you get stuck and you let it affect you, it can lead to plenty of wasted hours as you try to regain the momentum back. Instead of trying to continue with the part you left hanging, do something else, such as the next paragraph, the next chapter or the next phase of the job, especially if it’s something you are already prepared for.
- Clear your mind by doing something else not related to the job. Step out for five minutes and take a quick walk around the corner, read your favorite online comic or watch a kitschy music video. A little external stimulation usually does the trick.
Letting It Come
Regardless of how many times you get stuck, avoid trying to figure out why it’s happening. The reality is you’ll never know for sure. In fact, the more you probe into the potential reasons, the more stuck you just might end up – not exactly the way you want things to go.
