Overcoming writer's block

November 5, 2025 · 4 min read

Senior Technical Editor

Overcoming writers block

Welcome to my article series on technical writing! After 30 years in the profession, I’ve seen the field evolve in many ways. Over that time, I’ve learned some lessons (and made plenty of mistakes) that shaped how I work.

In this series, I share practical strategies that I hope you’ll find helpful. Feel free to adapt them to your own writing process. 🙂

You've done the groundwork. You understand your audience, conducted the necessary research, and created an outline. Your proverbial pencil is sharpened. You fire up your writing tool, place your hands on the keyboard, and then… nothing. The blank page stares back at you.

How can you overcome this? Here are a few methods I use to push through when the first words feel impossible to write.

Define key terms

Begin with the basics. Identify the key terms of your subject—concepts, tools, or processes—and define them. Pick three terms to start. For each, write a short, precise definition. Then, describe in detail how these terms are interconnected, highlighting their relationships and the role they play in the broader context of your subject.

Visualize connections

Draw the relationships on paper, in a digital tool, or in any other way you prefer. If you struggle to visualize the connections, that might signal that you are missing some elements. Identify what might be missing until the picture becomes clear.

The sketches I make to clarify my own thinking often become the first drafts of diagrams in my documentation. That way, the effort I put into untangling my ideas pays off twice, once for me and once for my readers.

Translate terms into tasks

Once the terms and connections are clear, list the associated tasks and create initial content drafts. This helps turn abstract concepts into actionable steps. Often, this process reveals gaps I hadn’t noticed before—areas where I need more details or missed a step.

Fill the gaps

Identify and address the gaps revealed during this mapping process. Review your sources, ask questions, and test processes to clarify any missing elements. Continuously refine your definitions, connections, and tasks until everything aligns cohesively. Add reference information where needed to ensure that your outline and the final documentation convey a clear and complete picture.

Expand as needed

As you explore connections, additional elements may emerge. Define these, too. The goal is to map out the landscape of your subject so you understand how the individual elements interact.

Don’t get lost in the details in this step. Focus on the most important elements first—those that are essential for understanding the subject. It’s better to have a solid description of these core elements than a scattered overview of everything. If you’re unsure about what’s critical, reach out to SMEs or project managers for guidance.

(Don't) use AI

Of course, you can use AI for all of the above. My advice: try writing without it first. Technical writing is about shaping what you learn into content for your users—something you can’t master if AI does it for you. Use AI for research, to check your grammar, or to perform user persona tests. Don't use it to write for you. AI can assist, but the clarity comes from your own thinking.

Thanks for reading! I hope that with these methods, the blank page becomes less intimidating. For those interested in exploring further, I’ve compiled a list of related resources from the technical writing community, which I hope you’ll enjoy.