Taking an idea from your mind and developing it in writing can be quite challenging. Even if you earn a living doing it, that doesn’t mean you won’t face obstacles. Is there an author who hasn’t experienced writer’s block at some point? Probably not. Advanced technology has brought convenience and on-hand assistance to the modern world. Many authors, for instance, are using AI to resolve their struggles.
Writer’s block comes in numerous forms. If you want to overcome it, you must first understand which type of block you’re dealing with. Once you determine that, you can begin using AI to help you overcome it.
Writer’s block takes on several forms
The following list provides a basic overview of the various types of writer’s block that even best-selling authors might experience:
- Ideation: If you’re facing an ideation block, it basically means that you sit down to write and nothing happens. Authors, editors and publishers often refer to this type of writer’s block as “blank page syndrome.”
- Decision paralysis: Your book is moving right along when, suddenly, you can’t decide where to take the plot, what should happen with a specific character or whether you should commit to one option or another.
- Execution: This type of blockage occurs when you know everything you want to happen in your story but just can’t seem to find the right words to bring it to fruition.
- Perfectionism: This is not only challenging in everyday life but in the writing industry as well. Work in progress might come to a screeching halt if you constantly criticize your own writing to the point that you can’t finish your page or chapter or book.
Using AI as a writing tool is a highly controversial and debatable topic. However, in the next section of this blog post, you’ll learn practical ways in which it can help you overcome writer’s block.
Using AI to get back on track when your story is stuck
While it’s possible to use generative AI to write an entire novel, it’s not recommended. Doing so creates numerous, complex copyright issues because there typically must be human input for an author to own the rights to a book. This doesn’t negate using AI as a practical and helpful writing tool though. Here are several ways to use it to overcome writer’s block:
- Brainstorming: This is particularly useful when you’re facing an ideation block. You can type in words and ask AI to provide plot ideas, character sketches, and more.
- Best option search: When decision-making is the problem, using AI might be helpful because you can ask it to generate possible outcomes for each option, then determine which is best.
- Find the right words: AI can assist with execution by suggesting words, phrases and transitions for the ideas you type in.
- First draft review: To avoid perfectionism, you can ask AI to review your first draft and suggest changes.
Many authors today are using AI for writing support. If a writer’s block is a problem that’s preventing you from finishing your next novel, consider these practical ways in which you might use it to help you overcome the block and make it to the finish line.
