Kunimasami Dance

Writers block is a common problem for students when they are about to start on a course work or assignment.  The following article was written by Sue Smith, ITS Tutorial Schools Director of Studies.  It is aimed at giving students (and others) same basic tips on how to overcome this problem.  Further articles written by ITS Tutorial Schools staff can be found by visiting our website.

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Every writer has suffered at one time or another from writer’s block-that painful inability to get one’s thoughts on paper. This disability afflicts all kinds of writers: writers of fiction and of nonfiction , the disciplined and the undisciplined, the veteran and the novice. Unlike other maladies, writer’s block is not cured by taking two aspirin and going to bed. On the contrary, such treatment aggravates the condition, since pressure mounts and panic increases as the task is delayed. Because each bout of writer’s block may stem from a different cause, different treatments may be advisable. 

COMMON CAUSES AND RECOMMENDED TREATMENTS

Lack of preparation

Frequently your ideas won’t flow because you haven’t decided what you want to say. Figuring out what you want to say while trying to say it may seem efficient, but this approach is counterproductive. You’ll end up not thinking coherently and not communicating clearly.

Treatment

Before you begin to write you should be able to state what you hope to achieve and how you will go about achieving it. Don’t begin writing unless you can be clear in your own mind exactly what the article, course work is meant to achieve.  Make sure you read and understand the rubic requirements clearly. 

Misconceptions about writing

You might think that once prepared, you should be able to produce a nearly perfect product easily and swiftly .

Treatment

Recognise that writing is hard work. Although preparation will help, it will not eliminate the tedium of putting your thoughts into words. Even professional writers grope for their thoughts much the way one gropes for familiar objects in the dark.

Self-consciousness

Because your writing will be reviewed and criticised by others, you may become obsessed by what others will think of you.

Treatment

Careful preparation will help you decide what to say and will give you confidence that what you put on paper will not make you look foolish . Others are probably not nearly so critical as you imagine. They will quickly read what you have written, giving you the benefit of the doubt as to what you say and how you say it. (We all know of exceptions, of course.)

Confusing writing with editing

You may become bogged down because you edit excessively as you compose. Switching back and forth between creative and censoring modes interferes with the flow of ideas, words and sentences.

Treatment

Separate the writing phase from the editing phase. When drafting your message write with no interruption. If you cannot think of the right words, capture your idea in words that come to you quickly. Your goal should be to get your ideas down, lest they escape you. Suspend criticism until you have completed the draft. Then apply your finest critical skills in evaluating and revising your writing.

Boredom

Working on a project often requires long hours of intensive reading, research and discussion. It is not uncommon to reach a saturation point even before you begin writing.

Treatment

Start each writing project as far as possible ahead of the deadline so that you can get away from the project when you begin to feel bored . Focus on the finished product and its importance to its readers. Allow the pride of authorship to override your boredom.

I hope the following simple tips may help you get started on writing that term paper our course work.

Good luck