Dealing with Writers’ Block

We all have times when we are super-productive, but what about those days when nothing seems to flow. Call it writers’ block - or any other kind of block for that matter!

Being a freelancer has so many positives - I can decide what I do and when I do it and have surprisingly few deadlines, which means I can be super flexible. The downside, of course, is that freelancers have to be very self-driven and we don’t have just one boss or supervisor, we have LOADS! Every editor, designer, publicist, school, library, festival organiser… they are all our bosses!

Most of the time, I’m busy with writing, editing, tweaking, planning, creating and scheduling social media, organising school visits, speaking with my agent about new projects and so on. But sometimes there are periods when I really don’t have much to do! These are the times I start thinking I should come up with some new story ideas. But creating ideas is not always straightforward or easy!

Often ideas for books just pop into my head at seemingly random times. And many of my projects are commissioned by editors, which is amazing. But I often get panicky and think that I might never have another idea ever again! I guess this is what some call Writers’ Block.

So how do I deal with it? Well, I mostly try to make myself relax, because I’ve discovered that my mind is at it’s most creative when it’s free to roam and dream - something I can’t do when I’m stressed.

To do this, I try to ignore the nagging self-doubt and worry about where the next contract is coming from, and instead go for long walks with an audio book for company. I find this really soothes my brain and opens up my thinking.

I also find that taking up new interests can help. Most of my days are spent alone, at my desk at home, so getting out and meeting new people and discovering new ideas often leads me to reflect on life and seek new concepts to think about. I love the challenge of communicating complex ideas in a way that is (hopefully) enticing and inspiring for children.

So if you’re feeling blocked, or stressed about work, find a way to help your mind relax. Whether this is through exercise, meditation, art or simply sitting in a cafe or staring out of your window. Staying in bed that extra half hour when your mind is still malleable from dreaming can also be really fruitful. Whatever you do, take the pressure off and don’t give yourself a particular agenda. Your subconscious mind is beavering away in the background all the time, and only when you remove other stresses will it be free to develop those thoughts and bring ideas to the fore.

So if you see pictures of my walks on social media, I’m not skiving off, honest!