Every writer experiences times when words take on the less pleasant attributes of a class of fourth-graders. They are raucous and unruly, and despite your best attempts to wrangle them into some semblance of order, they keep breaking out of formation and taking off in the wrong direction, or even dozens of different directions. The pressure of time can add to your rising distress, and that only makes things worse; like fourth-graders facing a substitute teacher, it sometimes seems as though words can smell fear in those who would try to control them. Fortunately, there are several techniques to help you scale the wall of writer's block, or even skirt it.

Take a Break

Creative energy is an incredible force, but it can burn itself out, especially when you're fatigued or stressed. Sometimes the most effective way to help your writing is to take a break from it and do something else for a while. Psychological rest is just as critical as physical rest, especially when you're working on a long-term project like writing a book.

It doesn't matter what you do instead of writing while you're taking your break. What does matter is that you don't give in to feelings of guilt for indulging in that break. If you're convinced that you should be writing instead of taking a walk, going to a movie, having lunch with friends, and so on, you're adding another layer to the blanket of pressure you already feel, and that just makes writer's block more intractable. Walking away from your writing for a few hours — or even a day or two — is a legitimate and essential aspect of the successful writing life.

Some writers take so many breaks from their writing work that they end up falling behind schedule, and that additional time pressure can in turn feed writer's block. You shouldn't feel guilty about taking breaks, but make sure breaks don't take over your writing time.

If you can't get over feeling guilty about taking a break, try looking back at what you've done so far. When you realize how much work you've completed already, you might find it easier to recognize that you've earned a respite.

Change Your Assignment

Sometimes you can get hung up on minute details in a specific chapter or plot point, and that can bring the entire project to a grinding halt. If possible, put the portion that's causing problems aside and focus on a different part of your manuscript. While you're working on that new section, your subconscious mind can gnaw away at the original problem and may have it solved by the time you're ready to return to it.

This technique may be easier to use with nonfiction projects than with fiction. Chapters in nonfiction books often resemble related, but stand-alone, magazine articles, while chapters in fiction usually interlock more closely; it may be more difficult to jump from Chapter 2 to Chapter 10 to Chapter 6 in your novel. If you feel that you can't leap back and forth in your fiction, try taking a fresh look at your synopsis or outline again. These are your road maps for your story, showing how each chapter leads into the next. If you're having difficulty with the way Chapter 5 is shaping up, your synopsis or outline reminds you where you need to be in Chapter 6; that reminder may be enough to get Chapter 5 back on track.

In fiction, it sometimes helps to retype the last few pages, or even the entire previous chapter, leading up to the part you're stuck on. Doing this can help you recapture your writing voice and your focus, which in turn helps build up your momentum.

Write Through It

One surprisingly effective technique for punching through writer's block is to write about it. Pouring out your frustrations and fears on paper can help you identify the obstacles that keep you from getting the words right. Writers who use this technique often find that it helps them clear away the detritus that builds up during the creative process. It's like cleaning a showerhead that has become caked with lime; when the lime is removed, the water flows freely again.

This technique works best when you're honest with yourself and your emotions as they relate to your writing. Remember that no one will read your thoughts on your writer's block, so you have the freedom to be frank. It may take you a few paragraphs or a few pages to get through your particular block; you'll know your therapy has been successful when you're ready to stop writing about your writer's block and start working on your manuscript again.

The “write through it” technique saves time because it forces you to confront the issues that are holding you back instead of passively waiting for your subconscious mind to deal with them. This is especially important when you're up against a tight deadline and don't have the luxury of waiting for things to fall back into place.

Alternatively, you can decide just to write, even if what you turn out is bad. Giving yourself permission to write poorly removes the pressure of “getting it right” the first time through. You can always fix it later, or throw it out entirely. Often, getting the bad writing out of your system creates a bridge to great new material.