Chen Reznik-Moran, Emboodo’s content writer

When I used to write just personal blogs, poems or short stories, everything was quite easygoing and flexible. I could have written about anything that comes to mind, and if I got stuck I just put it aside and continued later – or not. But what if I have tasks I must complete, if I have to write about pre-defined subjects in a tight schedule? Now that I work as a content writer, I can’t just do what I want, I have to provide the product. What if I get a writer’s block?

Why now?

You’re probably wondering why is it happening. You’ve always been such a fluent and flow-able writer, so why suddenly, when it’s your profession, it doesn’t always go that easy?
Let’s see some of the causes to a writer’s block:

1. You’re not used to writing that much, you’re expected to write dozens of articles each month or even week and your brain can sometimes get overwhelmed.
2. SEO writing requires concentration. Perhaps sometimes you can do it even when there’s noise surrounding you, but from time to time too many distractions can really cut your muse short.
3. You’re a perfectionist, you’re overthinking every single word and phrase and you can’t seem to find the perfect title.

So what should I do?

If you get blocked, just try one or more of these following tips:

1. Don’t panic

   My first and most important advice is to just remain cool. It happens, writer’s block is very common and even the most experienced and talented writers have to deal with this from time to time. It doesn’t make you a bad writer, it just makes you human.

2. Let it go

   Sometimes the best cure is just to put that task aside, start working on other tasks and get back later to that first task. Maybe after giving it some time and moving your concentration to other things, suddenly good ideas will come to mind and the block will vanish.

3. Enjoy the silence

   If your working environment is too noisy, try moving to another room, or maybe listen to music you like with headphones, anything that can help you concentrate on your work. Don’t be shy, you can ask your colleagues (politely!) to be a little quieter once in a while, sometimes a few quiet minutes can get you back on track.

4. Ask for ideas

   If it doesn’t work, consult with your boss and colleagues, if you’re independent then you can consult with other content writers, or even with your creative friends, anyone that can suddenly say the right word that will start your engine running again.

5. Remember to breath

   Most importantly, don’t forget that you’re not a robot, and that being creative and fluent all day long is a really, really hard work. If you’re in this profession then you probably love doing it, but it’s still okay to have a break from time to time. If you get blocked then maybe you just need to take a short walk in the sun and breathe some fresh air, sometimes it’s all you need to restart your mind and get creative again.

6. Seek help

   If your writer’s block is prolonged and nothing helps, maybe something is bothering you and prevents you from clearing your mind. Find someone to talk to, and in some cases a professional help can aid, so don’t hesitate to try it. Of course you can try to write about it, after all you’re a writer, it’s what you do and enjoy, maybe writing about your feelings will come out more easily and cleanse your soul.

No matter what was the reason for the block or how you’ve solved it, it’s always temporary, and it’s a part of our job. Working as writers doesn’t allow us to write only when we feel like it, but instead we have to follow a tight schedule and find creative ways to continue SEO writing each day.
Make sure you don’t just write for work. I recommend maintaining all of those small personal projects, it can be a personal blog or even Facebook posts, as long as you keep enjoying your writing and not turning it solely into a forced task.
Nevertheless, working as a content writer does coerce you to write sometimes about a subject you’re less familiar with or as far away from your heart’s desires as possible. How can you write about something you have absolutely no clue about?
Stay tuned for my next blog post, I have some useful tips for you.