What I Do When I Get Stuck Writing

Every writer experiences it at some point.

You sit down to write, open your document, and suddenly the words just… stop. The ideas that felt so clear in your head yesterday now seem distant or unfinished. You stare at the screen waiting for inspiration to return, but nothing happens.

For a long time I believed that getting stuck meant something was wrong with the story. Maybe the plot wasn’t working, or maybe I simply wasn’t in the right mindset to write that day.

Over time, I’ve learned that getting stuck is actually a normal part of the writing process.

Instead of fighting it, I’ve developed a few strategies that help me work through those moments and keep the story moving forward.

I Read Something Else

One of the most effective ways I deal with writer’s block is surprisingly simple: I read.

Reading helps shift my brain back into storytelling mode. When you immerse yourself in another author’s work, you start thinking about pacing, dialogue, and character development again. That creative energy often carries back into your own writing.

Sometimes the inspiration comes from something I love in the book I’m reading—a clever plot twist, an emotional scene, or a character dynamic that sparks new ideas.

Other times the opposite happens. I might notice something in the book that doesn’t quite work for me, and that realization helps me identify similar issues in my own writing.

Either way, reading helps reset my creative mindset.

I Step Away From the Page

If I’ve been staring at the same paragraph for too long, the best thing I can do is take a break.

This doesn’t mean abandoning the project completely. It just means giving my brain a chance to process the story in the background.

I might go for a walk, work on graphic design for my business, or focus on other tasks that need my attention. During those moments, I often find that my mind naturally starts solving the writing problem on its own.

By the time I return to the manuscript, the solution is usually clearer.

I Listen to Audiobooks While Working

When I’m working on other tasks like marketing, design, or planning content, I often listen to audiobooks.

This helps me stay immersed in storytelling even when I’m not actively writing. Hearing how other authors structure scenes or build tension can spark new ideas for my own projects.

It also helps keep my creative brain engaged while I handle the more practical parts of running a writing business.

I Let Myself Write Imperfectly

One of the biggest reasons writers get stuck is perfectionism.

It’s easy to convince yourself that every sentence needs to be polished before moving on to the next scene. But writing a first draft isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress.

When I feel stuck, I remind myself that the goal is simply to move the story forward. The draft doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to exist.

Editing comes later.

Allowing myself to write imperfectly removes a lot of the pressure that can cause writer’s block in the first place.

I Trust the Process

The most important thing I’ve learned about writer’s block is that it doesn’t mean the story is finished or broken.

It usually means my brain needs time to work through the next part of the narrative.

Stories are complex, and sometimes the mind needs space to connect the pieces together.

Instead of panicking when I get stuck, I try to trust that the story will eventually reveal the next step. With a little patience—and sometimes a good book to read—the ideas always start flowing again.

Because at the end of the day, writing isn’t about never getting stuck.

It’s about learning how to move through those moments and keep the story alive.