To be fair, I haven't researched "writer's block" to see what others think. Guess I have reader's block on this subject. But here's my take. Writer's block can occur when we are so critical about our writing that we fear rejection before there's anything to reject.

The good news
In school, an instructor showed me an easy way to avoid writer's block. We were working on an ad and he said to write down every headline that came to mind. The idea was to suspend judgement about what was "good" or "bad" and simply start the flow.

A couple of years into my career, an agency owner echoed the same idea: "Coming up with great ideas is not hard. You just have to come up with enough ideas." It sounded simplistic. Later, I realized the wisdom of his words.

Just start it
Here's a suggestion. When you are awarded an assignment, open a new documentand start writing. Naturally you'll focus on the subject and audience, but getting underway is the goal.

When I'm writing emails, brochures and websites, I write the first paragraph three or four different ways without stopping to edit. Everything is acceptable for the moment. The left and right brains will have plenty of time to chat.

Momentum creates momentum
When I work this way, one of the headlines or paragraphs invariably becomes the catalyst that moves me through the project. Once the thread is established, the ideas simply weave together.

To summarize, when you fear getting stuck, just get started. And when you've said enough, just "publish."