How to Unblock Writer’s Block for School Assignments

How to Unblock Writer’s Block for School Assignments by Maria Gurevich.

When a student says, “I could not get out of writer’s block,” it usually means they didn’t do their homework. Then I encourage them to try the steps below and almost always, within 40 minutes we go from “I’ve got writer’s block,” to “Oh, look, I am almost done, I just have to polish it up.” 

1. Set a timer for 2 minutes and try to write 5 lines. It  creates a sense of urgency putting just the right amount of pressure on the writer. You may find that you don’t want to stop when the timer goes off. 
   
2. Get real by searching up actual facts about your issue and work them into your writing later. For fiction, look up facts about the city, country, planet or natural environment where your story is taking place. Write down statistics related to the problems your characters face. For essays, look up statistics and facts on your topic and write them down. For literary analysis essays or book reports, look up facts about the author and the setting. Gather real facts on the experience of the characters. For example for an essay on Romeo and Juliet, you can start by writing the common causes of teen suicide today and comparing them to the situation in the book. 
   
3. Start at the end. Often, it helps to write the conclusion first.Think about the message you want to deliver. How do you want your writing to end? What would you like your readers to do or to know after reading your work? Every piece of writing must have a purpose. Decide what your purpose is. This will help figure out a way to deliver it.   
   
4. Watch or read something on your topic. YouTube, Tik Tok, and any other source will work.  Even if you are writing about a book, chances are someone has reviewed this book before and made a video or wrote about it. Remember, trying to combat writer’s block is not the same as doing serious research on your topic. The credibility of your source doesn’t matter for this purpose. Even a questionable source on your topic might be enough to get your ideas flowing.