7 Tips from the Village Blend’s Writer’s Block Lounge

Welcome to our special space for caffeinated creation. Here are 7 tips from our staff to help you reach your writing and productivity goals.

  1. Follow your flow. For optimal productivity, a friend of the Village Blend (and former NASA mission specialist) suggests following your “ultradian rhythm” cycles. To prevent burnout, work in 90-minute sessions. Break for 30 minutes to reboot brain and body before beginning a new 90-minute session. Phone use is strongly discouraged in the lounge. Stay focused. No doomscrolling!

  2. Refresh to de-stress. Physical activity boosts energy and sharpens cognitive abilities. During your work break, join our resident slam poet Esther for River Scream. Too shy for scream therapy? Come anyway for fresh air and a walk to the Hudson River Greenway. Twist and stretch, take 10 deep breaths, and return reinvigorated. Then enjoy a cup of our freshly roasted writer’s fuel. Caffeinate and create!

  3. Take smaller bites, and not just from the goodies in our pastry case. Big goals can feel intimidating. Consider smaller targets (word counts, page counts) with shorter, timed intervals. Request our free 15- or 30-minute personal timers or use our barista proctors. They love to poke and provoke!

  4. Thought playgrounds. Feeling stuck in a rut? Our resident thespian Tucker reminds us that actors and directors use improvisation to explore characters and enhance dialogue. In that spirit, try mixing things up to spark your imagination. Throw an unexpected challenge at your cast, make them face their biggest fears, or narrate from a new perspective. Additional writing prompts provided upon request.

  5. Brainstorming journals. Our oldest member, “Mr. Scrib”—who just secured a publishing contract for a collection of his witty and poignant poems (congrats, Jensen!)—suggests carrying a notebook with you to scribble ideas, observations, and random thoughts: “Capture those elusive feathers of inspiration before they take wing.”

  6. No gain with shame. A first draft does not have to be perfect. Try freewriting. Spend a session without checking spelling or grammar. Edit later. Instead, tap into your inner voice and let it flow!

  7. “Personal best” is best. Don’t sabotage yourself by obsessing over what others may or may not be doing or achieving. Focus on making your creation the best it can be. Find joy in your journey. That’s your golden ticket to success, and we’re not talking money and fame…

True success is found by those who continue to love the work, despite setbacks, and never stop learning and growing as writers and as human beings.

Good luck and good writing!