Writing can be fulfilling and frustrating in equal measure. When you\u2019re in full flow and the ideas keep coming, it feels great and you never want to stop.<\/p>\n
But many of us have experienced the opposite of this: drought. When the words dry up and all you have is a blank page (or screen) with no words, only lost time and an anxious, wandering mind.<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re working on a paper, writing a novel or about to start that dreaded assignment, there are things you can do when you get stuck. With help from OU students via Twitter<\/a>\u00a0we\u2019ve gathered some top tips on ways to beat writer\u2019s block.<\/p>\n It might feel like an impossible task, but the best thing you can do is start writing. Don\u2019t put pressure on yourself to write the best opening paragraph on the first try. It takes practice, time and patience.<\/p>\n Lilian<\/a> says: “Just start writing, it doesn\u2019t matter what. It could even be a poem about now knowing what to write.\u201d<\/p>\n Try this:<\/strong> Find three objects in your workspace. Choose one and start writing about it. How does it look, feel, smell and what meaning is attached to the object? Does it look out of place in the room or does it blend perfectly?<\/p>\n Sometimes writer\u2019s block happens as a result of having not planned.<\/p>\n Preparation is key. It\u2019s important you have a clear idea of how the assessment should be formatted. Think about the arguments you\u2019re planning to make, and the conclusion you\u2019ll come to.<\/p>\n Karen<\/a> says: \u201cIt can help to write a conclusion first so you know where you\u2019re heading and can make each argument go there.\u201d<\/p>\n Try this: <\/strong>How do you prepare for an assessment?<\/a><\/p>\n This may feel unnatural at first, but it really does work wonders. It doesn\u2019t have to be the middle either, start in the area you feel most comfortable with or passionate about.<\/p>\n Adele<\/a> says: \u201cNever start at the beginning. Write one point that you\u2019d like to make then build from there.\u201d<\/p>\n Try this: <\/strong>Write a subheading for each section or paragraph. Then write 3\u20135 bullet points listing the main points of discussion under each heading. Build it from there.<\/p>\n Crime writer and honorary graduate Val McDermid<\/a> swears by a brisk stroll in the great outdoors to unwind and get the creative juices flowing.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes you do feel a bit stuck. What I try to do is go for a walk. Even if it\u2019s just 10 minutes round the block. Just walk, clear your head, it\u2019s amazing… things start to fall into place…\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Try this: <\/strong>Take a dictaphone and record your thoughts out loud as you walk. You can also use the voice recorder on your phone.Then, when you get back to your desk, write down any key points you made and go from there.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Some of us are visual learners. It\u2019s important you tailor your writing process and create a method that suits your style.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Andrew<\/a> says: \u201cDraw a mind map of the concepts\/key words\/examples and how they might connect.\u201d<\/p>\n Try this: <\/strong>Get creative (and messy). Create a visual map with interlinked circles for each discussion point. Use post-it notes and coloured pens to connect ideas. Add a key on the top corner listing the criteria you have to meet in the assignment. You can then refer to this to ensure all the required areas are being met.<\/p>\n We have a number of courses, such as Essay and Report Writing Skills<\/a> and Writing an Academic Essay: Learning English for Academic Purposes<\/a>, which are designed to help improve your academic reading, vocabulary and study skills.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By: Natalie Baker<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Writing can be fulfilling and frustrating in equal measure. When you\u2019re in full flow and the ideas keep coming, it feels great and you never want to stop. But many of us have experienced the opposite of this: drought. When the words dry up and all you have is a blank page (or screen) with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12880,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1635,2237,2458,2459],"class_list":["post-12878","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-around-ou","tag-ou-students","tag-tips","tag-writers-block","tag-writiing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12878","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12878"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12878\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12878"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12878"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12878"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}1. Just start writing<\/h2>\n
2. Write an essay plan<\/h2>\n
3. Start in the middle<\/h2>\n
4. Go for a walk<\/h2>\n
5. Get creative: draw a mind map<\/h2>\n
6. Still need help?<\/h2>\n