It’s all writers’ worst nightmare: writer’s block. It creeps up out of nowhere and suddenly pounces on your writing, separating you and your work. Here are a few things I have found that help me when I lose track of what to write next:
Write non-permanent scenes. Free write and see where the story goes. Don’t think, just keep it going. The parts of your story aren’t set in stone, so just play around with it!
Ask others for help. This generally helps more for little things than major parts of your story. You can provide your helper (a friend, family member, stranger…) as little or as much backstory/context. For instance, you wouldn’t have to explain much to get an opinion of what a normal response to “Can you not choke on your food when I’m trying to tell you a story?” would be. On the other hand, if you need, say, a possible ending to your short story, the person you’re asking for help may need where to start in order to help you as to where you could finish.
Write something else! You don’t have to work solely on one story, though do be careful not to mix up characters/personalities or plot lines. It’s okay to not be inspired for one story after you work for a while on it and instead turn to a different one.
Read! You cannot be a good writer without reading. Sometimes you simply won’t be in the right mindset for writing. So take a break from writing and instead read an interesting book. This can get your creative juices flowing.
Do something else! This is a bit broad, I know, but hear me out. Get another task in your life done and come back to writing later. Some possibilities: clean your room, make yourself a meal (nothing instant), do some studying/homework, go through your clothes and see if there’s anything you no longer need and can donate, take a shower/bath, go on a walk/run/bike ride, meditate, call a friend/family member and catch up, etc. Some of these may not sound fun, but you’ll at least feel accomplished when you’ve completed something.
All of these methods are merely suggestions for things you can do to help work through your writer’s block. None of these are sure-fire, and you might not get unstuck right away. But do not worry, you will be okay and things will work out!
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