Feeling stuck? Try these unexpected tools
Is writer's block a myth? Simply asking this question struck me as a helpful reframing of a problem from something that exists outside of my control to something fixable.
After all, being stuck is just physics. An object at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by an external force. I’ll stay stuck unless I change something, but what is the force required in this situation? What energy, what effort do I need to exert?
A quick online search yields no end of suggestions for getting unstuck: let yourself write a shitty first draft; get clear on what you’re trying to say; separate your process into smaller steps; use a different medium; take a break and look for inspiration in all the usual places (nature, other artists, your dog’s antics).
If time management is your problem, try a productivity hack: the Pomodoro technique; artificial deadlines; set process goals instead of outcome goals (write for 30 minutes versus complete this chapter); find an accountability partner; remove distractions; time blocking.
One of my favourite strategies, though, is to use a creative prompt. Writing prompts are easy to find online and almost always yield something interesting. But there are two other creative prompts that I love to try now and then. If writing isn’t your jam, these can work for any situation where you’re feeling stuck (at work, at home, in other creative pursuits):
Tarot cards. I came across this suggestion in an article by Paula Rizzo, where she was quick to point out that tarot is not just a divination tool. When you draw a card (or three), the symbols and concepts can help you tap into an idea or consider a new perspective.
Oblique Strategies. This deck of cards (which you can also access online) was jointly created by musician/artist Brian Eno and multimedia artist Peter Schmidt in 1975. Each card has a phrase designed to encourage lateral thinking. As a small instruction card inside the box explains, “the card is trusted even if its appropriateness is quite unclear.”
I tried both when I was brainstorming ideas for this newsletter. I drew three from the tarot deck: the Ace of swords (triumph, conquest, a card of great force); The World (when upside down it means inertia, fixity, stagnation, permanence); The Devil (negativity, force, extraordinary efforts). Inertia and force? What a great prompt for a newsletter on writing.
My oblique strategies card: “Distorting time.” I mean, it’s kind of perfect. Isn’t that what happens every time you find yourself in a flow state?
What are your favourite tools for getting unstuck?
