Tactics and secrets to explode creativity

Today we will design a detailed coping strategy, overcome and prevent a terrible obstacle for every author: writer's block.

Many may encounter this difficulty, but with the right amount of perseverance you can find several solutions. In this article, we'll see what that means."writer's block”, what are its causes and, above all, what are the most effective tactics to overcome it. You will find many suggestions, including a very controversial option... read to believe!

So, no panic: sit in your favorite armchair, have a cup of coffee or tea (a chamomile for the more agitated) and prepare to defeat writer's block once and for all.

What does "writer's block" mean??

Writer's block is that psychological condition in which an author has difficulty writing and producing new ideas, even when he feels the need and urgency to do so.

This is one of the most common problems in creative writing, and can affect both professionals and aspiring writers.

This state of “inventive paralysis” can manifest itself at different stages of the writing process. It can be a difficulty in starting a story, or an arrest linked to the continuation or conclusion of a work already begun.

Writer's block: cause

But what happens when a writer can't write? What mechanisms underlie this stop? Let's try to analyze the most common ones.

• Anxiety and stress: they can be caused by the pressure given by the little time available to write, from the fear of not being able to make the most of it. They take over, Then, the expectations of others: «What will my partner/my partner/my mom/my dad say if he/she sees me dedicating time to my book every day, and after a month I only produced three pages?».
• Fear of judgment from others: this point is connected to the previous one. The fear of being judged or criticized for one's work is typical of our era, the era of comments on social media, some stars on Amazon, of keyboard lions.
• Distractions and interruptions: speaking of keyboards, the devices that accompany us at all times of the day can provide us with constant alibis for procrastinating on writing.
• Story reached a dead end: we started a novel or a story in a great way, with a spectacular idea and characters that we feel like we've known all our lives, but at a certain point we no longer have the incentive to continue. How come? We don't know either.
• Lack of ideas: we want to write, but we never seem to have the right idea to transform into an appealing story for the public.
• Excessive perfectionism: we keep getting stuck because no idea, sentence or description seems perfect to us.
• Lack of routine: the absence of a specific moment dedicated to writing can prevent us from entering a state of concentration, to create an environment conducive to writing.

Writer's block: how to overcome it

Now that we know the causes, it's time to answer the questions that interest us: «What to do if you have writer's block? How to unlock writing?». Let's analyze a series of solutions for each trigger.

• Anxiety and stress: first thing, let's try to see writing not as an obligation, but as a pleasure. Let's think about the genuine passion that drives us to write our story, more than the fact that we “must” find the time to do it. Not all sessions, Furthermore, they must be based on writing a certain number of words. Maybe different phases can be alternated: in one we write down the ideas as they come to mind (without chronological consequentiality and without judgement), in another we reorder them, in yet another we write a specific scene and so on.
• Fear of judgment from others: let's try to focus on the creative process, rather than on the opinion of those who are only interested in criticizing and undermining our motivation. It can also be helpful to seek support from other capable writers or editorial professionals provide us with constructive feedback.
• Distractions and interruptions: when writing, it is written. Not looking at notifications, Don't let yourself be distracted by cuddly kittens on Facebook (as adorable as cuddly kittens are). No excuses: cell phones should be banned during writing sessions! We also notify our family, we hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the wall in front of the PC. Everyone must learn to respect our passion.
• Story reached a dead end: Here we need to understand the motivation. Because we can't move forward anymore? We have fallen out of love with the plot or the characters? We no longer know how to get the protagonist out of a difficult situation? We have lost motivation because we feel like we are moving too slowly, without making progress? Once again, the comparison with writers and editorial professionals can be a panacea.
• Lack of ideas: we can explore new sources of inspiration: books, comic books, film, TV series, mostre d’arte. Let's push ourselves into unknown territories, to discover new genres and new authors, even from cultures far from ours. We observe the people around us, we note down the dialogues we hear. We can draw inspiration from news events, urban legends, folklore. To have a concrete example, in the article How to write a compelling fantasy book: eight tips I explained how Francesco Dimitri used ancient Latin folklore in the novel The girl of my dreams.
• Excessive perfectionism: before thinking about perfection… there must be something to perfect. If we continue to think about every single word to write, we will never start our book. Let's proceed step by step: Let's start by collecting ideas, from the documentation and the first draft. This phase is the most instinctive and creative. Then there will be the rereading, the second (and maybe third and fourth) drafting, the review, l’editing, the correction… ecco, This It's time to be a perfectionist.
• Lack of routine: to create habits conducive to writing, we can schedule a fixed time for our sessions. Furthermore, it can be useful to organize a comfortable working environment, using a comfortable desk, an ergonomic chair or a reading lamp. You don't need to have a lot of space, even a small corner is fine… as long as it is functional to our needs!

Tips for preventing writer's block

The tips listed above are useful to those who have already encountered the blocking problem, but it is also important to understand how to prevent it. Because the danger is always lurking and we must be ready to counter it! Ecco, so, some tips to always stay creative and motivated.

1. Write consistently. Not just sporting activities, but even the mental ones need training, if we want our performance to always be at the top. Try to write every day, even for just a few minutes. In this way, it will be much easier to enter the state of creative flow that will allow you to finish your book.
2. Set a specific time for writing. Morning, afternoon or evening, you decide according to your needs. Io, for example, I'm one of those unbearable people who start babbling in the morning as soon as they wake up, without even having had coffee. On the other hand, all 21.00 my eyes close. It goes without saying that my favorite time to write is early in the morning. Others, Instead, they prefer the quiet of the evening. It doesn't matter when you decide to do it… but do it! If you find a fixed time window, writing will become a habit and you will be more likely or inclined to write regularly.
3. Surround yourself with objects that give you the right energy. A soft shawl to put on your shoulders, an ornament that makes you think of a place in your novel, a steaming cup of your favorite herbal tea… little cuddles capable of giving you that extra push you were looking for!
4. Laws, laws, laws. And then, when you've finished reading, read again. Reading helps you master the craft, it provides you with inspiration, idea, style tips. Have fun discovering different texts: books, comic books, articles, collections of poems and short stories, so you have a wide range of sources to refer to.
5. You go out, explore, vivi: you don't need to go to the other side of the world, even a short walk outdoors can help stimulate creativity and refresh ideas. Try walking in a park or quiet place, perhaps listening to a playlist that reminds you of the atmosphere of your novel.
6. Don't expect perfection: Don't try to write life's masterpiece on the first try. Write it is a process of continuous revision, Don't be afraid of making mistakes: there is always time to improve. The important thing is to start.

One more tip: to learn how to better organize your day, I suggest you read the excellent one manual by Eva Fairwald How to find time to write, designed specifically for the needs of male and female writers!

Overcoming writer's block with… AI?

Let's get to the most controversial suggestion: use LLMs (Large Language Models) to generate useful ideas for our stories.

I know that these technologies are often disliked by male and female writers, and I admit to I too am very critical of their indiscriminate use. The market risks being flooded with identical products, processed by software that can only imitate human emotions, but don't actually try them. All at the expense of authenticity and art.

It's also true, But, that the best approach for the writer is use AI and otherwise be used from them. With this mentality, they can become useful tools for finding ideas and starting fruitful brainstorming.

A concrete example

To understand better, Let's assume we have a story in mind that combines many elements that we are passionate about, but that we don't know how to develop. For example, I like ghost stories, Japan and the Roman Forum. I have a plot in mind that brings them all together, I also wrote a captivating incipit, but then I got stuck. I don't know how to continue anymore! Let's try to see if ChatGPT can help me out. Here's my prompt:

“I wrote a story and I don't know how to continue it, the plot is: A series of inexplicable phenomena is happening at the Roman Forum, as if there were a ghost. A Japanese priestess discovers that the person responsible is a ghost girl passionate about manga who regrets never having gone to Japan. How can I conclude the story?”.

And here is the AI's response:

“There are several possibilities to conclude the story, depending on the tone you want to give to your story and the messages you want to convey to readers. Here are some ideas you might consider:

• The Japanese priestess could perform a ritual to free the spirit of the ghost girl and allow her to reach Japan. You could describe the ritual in detail, creating an atmosphere of mystery and spirituality. In the end, the ghost girl could finally feel free to go wherever she wanted, leaving the Roman Forum in peace.
• You could choose to have the ghost girl stay at the Roman Forum, but in a way that is no longer disturbing to tourists and locals. For example, the Japanese priestess could help the ghost girl find a way to communicate her passion for Japan to others, perhaps through an art exhibition or a cultural event. In this way, the ghost girl could become a sort of icon of the Roman Forum, inspiring other people to explore the world and achieve their dreams.
• You may decide to give your story a more tragic ending. For example, Japanese priestess might find out that the ghost girl is stuck in the Roman Forum because there is something keeping her there, like a curse or past trauma. You could create an exciting scene where the Japanese priestess helps the ghost girl overcome this obstacle, but in the end the ghost girl may decide to remain at the Roman Forum as guardian of its history and culture".

What do you say, some of these ideas may be good? Apart from the last one, which is very smoky, the first two aren't bad (especially the second one, IMHO!).

If you want to learn more about the use of LLMs in writing, I recommend you read the article too Artificial intelligence for text writing: it will steal our jobs?

Let your imagination take flight

As we have seen, you have many tools at your disposal to overcome the dreaded creative block! Writing is like an amusement park ride, where there are ups and downs, passages that make us fear derailing and treacherous turns… but it is also a path that allows us to get excited, abandoning ourselves to adrenaline-filled curves and breathtaking descents.

If you find yourself in difficulty, take a break, take a walk, read a book or listen to music that makes you relive the atmosphere of your story. But don't abandon writing, because your characters are eager to come to life!

If you just can't move on, you can make a nice battle plan inspired by the information you found in this article. You can write it in your diary (perhaps adding some personal ideas), strictly by hand: writing on paper is a psycho-physical process that fixes ideas in a concrete way and makes us more motivated.

And above all, Don't forget to have fun! Writing is a creative art, so let your imagination take flight and write with passion. In the end, the result will always be great personal satisfaction. Good work! And if you need help with your plot, don't hesitate to write to me!