How to Overcome Writer's Block: A 10-Minute Hack That Actually Works

Aah, writer's block.

The dreaded phenomenon that makes even the most seasoned writer feel like they're staring into an abyss. It’s as if all the brilliant ideas packed inside your brain decided to take an extended vacation. But don't worry. We’re here with a hack that might just save the day—and your word count.

The best part? It only takes 10 minutes. Yep, that's right. Let’s dive right in.

The 10-Minute Hack

Here’s what you do: set a timer for 10 minutes and just start writing. It doesn’t matter if what you’re writing makes sense or is even grammatically coherent. The key is to put words on the page. Once the 10 minutes are up, one of two things will happen:

1. You’ll hit your flow. Sometimes, once you start writing, the words just keep coming. Even when the timer buzzes, just ignore and keep going.

2. You’ll stop but feel accomplished. Even if you only wrote a few messy sentences, that’s okay. You’ve made progress. Yayie!

The hack works because it gets you out of your head. When we overthink, we freeze up. By setting a timer and committing to just 10 minutes, you're giving yourself permission to write without the pressure of perfection.

Here are some other strategies to overcome writer's block:

While the 10-minute hack is a great tool, there are plenty of other strategies that successful authors have used to beat writer’s block. Let’s explore a few:

1. Just write

It sounds obvious, but often the simplest advice is the best: Just write. You don’t need to be inspired to start. In fact, John Grisham himself had a daily writing routine.

“Write a page every day. That’s about 200 words, or 1,000 words a week. Do that for two years and you’ll have a novel. Nothing will happen until you are producing at least one page per day.”

So, the lesson here? A little progress every day adds up.

2. Lower your expectations

Malcolm Gladwell, the bestselling author, has a refreshing take on writing: lower your expectations.

“Never to sit down and imagine that you will achieve something magical and magnificent... if it results in two or three good paragraphs, I consider myself a lucky man.”

Not every writing session will be groundbreaking.

3. Get to know your characters

The late Tom Clancy approached his writing from a character-driven angle. Instead of focusing on the big picture, he let his characters guide the way:

“I sit down and start typing and see what they will do...”

If you're feeling stuck, try having a conversation with your characters. Are they chill today or in a mood to commit murder? Take your pick.

4. Read

Every good writer is a reader. When you're stuck, grab a book. Stephen King said it best:

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”

Reading fuels your creativity. When in doubt, read a good book.

5. Give yourself a break

Sometimes, the solution is stepping away from the keyboard. Agatha Christie famously said that plot ideas often came to her while she was walking or window shopping. Taking a break gives your brain space to mull over ideas subconsciously.

6. Start at the end

John Grisham also finds it helpful to begin at the end: “Don’t write the first scene until you know the last scene.” If you're stuck on how to start, try sketching out the final scene of your book or chapter.

7. Brainstorm

Set a timer, and throw caution to the wind. Jot down every crazy idea that pops into your head. Don’t worry about grammar or punctuation—just let the ideas flow. Sometimes all you need is a seed of an idea to get going.

8. Get a change of scenery

While having a designated writing space is important, a change of scenery can do wonders for your creativity. Try writing in a park, a coffee shop, or even just in a different room.

9. Stop while you’re ahead

Ernest Hemingway had a trick: stop writing while you're on a roll. He’d leave his work unfinished but knew exactly what would happen next. This way, when he sat down to write again, he could pick up easily without losing momentum.

In Conclusion

Writer's block happens to the best of us. But the good news is, it doesn’t have to last.

So, the next time you're stuck staring at a blank page, set a timer, and just write. In 10 minutes, you may just surprise yourself!