Being a writer and experiencing writer’s block goes hand-in-hand. It doesn’t matter if you’re a casual writer or a professional writer, everyone has experienced the infamous writer’s block at one point or another. After personally being fed up with the seemingly constant blank mind when I sat down to write I knew there had to be a solution I was missing. After six months of searching, I finally found the solution to [hopefully] end writer’s block once and for all.

In simplest terms, the solution to writer’s block is to make writing fun again.

Let’s be honest, writer’s block hardly happens when you first start a new writing project unless you’re really forcing it. Doesn’t it usually happen when you’re a few hundred or thousand works in and it seems like the project is just dragging on? Don’t you remember how fun it was when that million-dollar idea popped in your head? How about deciding who your characters would be and what obstacles they’d face? That fun and excitement shouldn’t end once you start writing. The unfortunate truth is that it’s easy to get wrapped up in the stress and anxiety many associate with writing.

What if this is awful? What if no one likes this? Or worse, what if no one reads it at all? If you’re anything like me, these negative thoughts often overpower the creative part of my brain and make it impossible to even write a mildly comprehensive sentence. These thoughts, frequently stemming from common issues among writers like fear and perfectionism, can be combated with the simple solution of making writing fun again.

The easiest and fastest way to do so is by forgetting everyone else in the world and writing for yourself. Write what you know, write what you like, and write how you like. Don’t let the fear of others not liking your work stop you from doing what makes you happy and what you feel is right. Chances are that at least one of the other 7.5 billion people in the world will share a similar mindset as you and absolutely love your work.

I know, that’s a lot easier said than done. But I promise if you keep at it you’ll be much happier with your results.

If you’re not ready to jump into the deep end and forget everyone else when it comes to writing, try one of these other ideas:

1. Allow yourself to write badly- no one ever said the first draft has to be perfect, and neither does the 50th.
2. Write for just five minutes- if after five, uninterrupted, undistracted minutes you still can’t get your creative juices flowing take a break and come back later that day with a clearer mind.
3. Work on another project- taking a break from your main project to work on something else, like a short story, poem, etc., can help to clear your mind.
4. Write something no one will ever see- I’ve written an absurd number of absolutely terrible responses to writing prompts just for the fun of it. Who knows, you might find your next great idea from one of these silly prompts.

Getting back to the root solution, just have fun when writing. I’ve found that if I really force my work or write to please others I’m frustrated and disappointed with what I’ve produced. Whether you have fun by writing for yourself or by working on a secret side project to take a break from your main work, just do what makes you happy. Gives this a try and see just how quickly you see results.

If you tried any of these tips, comment below how they worked for you. Do you have another way of combating writer’s block? I’d love to hear it too!