“I’ve often said that there’s no such thing as writer’s block; the problem is idea block”. This nugget of wisdom came from none other than murder mystery mogul Jeffery Deaver, and while I can’t agree with him completely, he’s got a good point.

While idea block is real, it’s important to recognise that both co-exist in the murky waters of a copywriter’s worst nightmare.

Often, half the battle is deciding which kind of block you have. Once you know this, it’s easy to figure out what kind of advice you need. If you’re struggling to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) then read on…

Writer’s block

The plague of content writers across the globe is writer’s block. None of us can avoid being taken down by this irksome ailment every now and again.

It’s a common story; you have a great idea that you can’t wait to put it into writing and share on your blog/with your client/in a story. But while you’re summoning up a grand idea of how this will be the revolutionary step to propel your career into greater things, words fail you.

You might have a great angle for a piece you’re writing for a client but simply don’t have the words to convey how great this idea is.

So if you see yourself turning to a thesaurus in your hour of need, you know it’s writer’s block that’s got you down, and taking time out of your daily routine to ramp up your reading can do you a world of wonders and get your written fluency back.

Idea’s block

While writer’s block can be eased with a flick through of a dictionary and some in depth research, idea block isn’t quite as straightforward to cure.

For those writers struggling to get their mind cogs whirring, it’s not writer’s block (although plenty of people will misdiagnose you with this) but actually idea block that’s forcing you to drink innumerable cups of coffee in hopes of sparking an epiphany.

Lacking creativity can mean degrading your beautiful syntax to waffly words on a page. You might even go as far as to plan a blog post around the different things your cat does in the day, and that I’m afraid, is not something your business blog clientele will be interested in (although I am, so please write this and send it to us).

Cure your idea block by injecting some creativity into your lifestyle. Inspiration can come from the smallest things, so whether it’s just doing the odd doodle, or going all out creating the next Sisteenth Chapel, it will help new ideas sprout and improve your writing.

Have you got a bad case of writer’s block? Or is it inspiration that’s stumping you? Leave us a comment in the section below!