writer's block

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2004 : December : 5

writer's block
By Patti Yohe

I don't know if this will be interesting to him, but it works for me and my students. Sometimes things are not meant to be interesting though!

State a topic that all your students will know something about. Ask them to
write the topic/title on the top of the paper.
Tell students that when you say "go" they are to write constantly and not stop until you say "stop". Even if it means they write..."I don't know what to write."..."This is hard." ... or "This is stupid."...or "I don't have anything to write about." or they could simply write the topic over and over again. As long as they keep writing!

Do this several times, and eventually remind them to think about the topic as they write. It will be some on the topic and some off. They will get better. They will also learn that everyone has a block and that if they just keep writing, it will pass. They can always remove the "junk" on the rewrite or editing page.

Hope this helps.