Copywriters are very resilient creatures. We can stay up all night cranking out words to meet a deadline, we can hold our tongues when someone mistakenly uses “addicting” instead of “addictive,” and we can still manage to have some sanity and dignity left in our souls after a 3rd revision. But even the toughest copywriters come down with a bout of the dreaded and mysterious “Writer’s Block” every now and then. No matter how many times we’re told it’s mental and completely avoidable, we still fall under it’s dark, poisonous spell and it can take hours, even days for us to resurface from it’s funk. In an effort to stop this heinous pandemic, I would like to share just a few of the tricks that work for me when I feel a mental block coming on. It’s not bulletproof and the way you combat Writer’s Block will be completely dependent on your personality and commitment to your work, but the basics are still the same: get out, get refreshed, and get back to work.

1. Get some fresh air. Most writers like to find a little nook in the corner of their house or in the back of a coffee shop and hole up for hours. It’s a useful method because you can really zone in when you’re in a dark, small space with little to distract you. However, too much time in isolation will suffocate your creativity and imagination, which feeds off of interaction and stimulation. Get out for a bit, take your dog for a walk, or at least open a window and stare out of it for a bit! It will clear your head…and hopefully, freshen up those armpits of yours.
2. Find a creative toy. Little trinkets do have a purpose! I like to keep them around my desk or work area for a little extra inspiration or a welcomed distraction when the occasion calls for it. Also, this is a great tip for anybody with a nervous habit. Playing with a slinky or some legos is much better than cracking your knuckles, chewing on your nails, or picking your nose.
3. Let it breathe. My background is in fiction writing, meaning there were many long nights of writing everything from short stories to novels and even when I knew I was on a roll, the sun would peak out and I would have this horrible thought pop into my head that everything I had just written was complete crap. But before I threw the whole thing away, wait, who am I kidding? This is the digital age! So before I could delete the entire document, I decided to walk away, maybe get a cup of coffee or take a shower (now that’s a novel idea for us writers!). Letting my story “breathe” for a little bit gave me some clarity and distance so I could come back refreshed and reassured that I hadn’t written 30 pages of BS. Trying putting some space between you and your work next time you feel too close; a different perspective never hurt anyone.

Writer’s Block might be mental, but that doesn’t make it any less harmful. Just like when they told me seasickness is all in your head, and even though I tried my hardest to not think about it…well, let’s just say I lost a lot of lunches the first few days on a cruise ship. In order to combat these mysterious sicknesses, you have to have a plan in place ahead of time. As I stated earlier, this list just so happens to work for me, but it might not be the best plan of attack for you. Try something new or different next time you hit a rut and you just might find yourself churning out great copy once again.

Gina Vinnitsky is a SEO Copywriter for Pete Wise SEO, a Denver SEO agency working to help businesses improve their web presence through Off-Site SEO, On-Site SEO, as well as SEO Copywriting for all your content needs. Check them out today for more information!