Writer’s Block? No Worries, Here are Some Tips!

You know that feeling when you’re looking for your keys and then you find them under a stack of papers, right where you had been searching for them all along? You’re so relieved. You knew that they were somewhere nearby. This is how I see writer’s block. Oftentimes, kids have the ideas and the words, but simply cannot see them. When your kid gets stuck you want to help, but how? Here are a few suggestions:

Their passions. Ask them to talk to you about their favorite movie or pastime. Sometimes getting them talking about something that they’re passionate about can get their wheels turning. As you talk through the movie or pastime, listen carefully and see if you can draw any parallels between this story or situation and the topic that they are being asked to write about. For example, if a child is creating a story, ask them to look at how the character in the movie or game has traits and strengths and weaknesses and how they could apply character traits to their character.

The movie version. I ask your child to think of how this writing would look if it were made into a movie. For example, if your child is writing about a person from history and describing a pivotal moment in that person’s life, ask them what this scene would look like in the movie version. Where would the person be in the room, standing or sitting? How does this person engage with other people in the room? What is the person wearing, wondering, hoping for? Even drawing the scene on paper can sometimes help.

The Pomodoro Technique. Occasionally, the distractions of life can get in the way of writing. Have your child set a timer for 25 minutes with no distractions whatsoever (no favorite show playing nearby, no internet scrolling, no chatting virtually or otherwise with friends, etc.), and when the timer goes off, they can take a break. They can cycle through the timed sessions again as needed. Encourage a true, concerted effort for the 25 minutes and see where it takes them.

Freewriting. Journaling or freewriting about anything can allow kids to feel freer with their words, even if they are writing about something completely unrelated to the topic. A freewrite for five minutes about their favorite thing to do on the weekend can help them see their ability and feel proud. Tell your child to keep the pencil moving or keep their fingers typing for five minutes, and they can write about anything as long as they use real words. They can even write about how they are annoyed that they are being asked to write!

Scaffolding. Mapping out the main idea and its supporting details helps a child understand what path to follow with their writing, how to build an argument, or how the plot of their story will proceed. Seeing that there are smaller pieces to the big picture, your child can tackle some of the smaller pieces first and work their way through the required writing.

Inspiration and models. Reading one of their favorite writers can help. This might seem daunting, but if your child looks closely at one or two of the sentences written and examines the style of that writer, you can then encourage them to emulate this style as well. Tell them to try playing with their sentence structure or verb use the way their favorite writer has done. Or, ask them what the backstory of their favorite character might be? Or what would happen to the story if a new character was introduced? How would their favorite author write a lost scene from the book?

Acknowledgement. Writing can be arduous. We all get stuck, and even some of the most successful writers have felt dejected and hopeless. Listening to your child complain and saying, “Yes, writing is so hard. I hate it sometimes,” or something along those lines, can resonate with your child. Even telling them a story of a time you struggled can help. Listening to them and supporting them can go a long way here.

Talk it through. Ask them what they think. You can even say, “Close your laptop and let’s chat.” If your child is writing an argument that they need to support, ask them how they feel about it. As you talk, encourage them to write notes. Or, you can even write what they say. You can then show them what they came up with and say, “These are your words! Your thoughts! Not mine. Now write these in your assignment.” Encourage them to just get the words down and not worry about style or grammar at first. Polishing can come later.

Give them space. Sometimes they want to be alone and to struggle on their own. Allow them to sit with their writing and let them know that you are available for help should they need you. You can announce that you will give them some time alone with the writing but that you will come back in a few minutes to check on them.