Creating something on the page can be messy. Whether you are writing a difficult email or a challenging school essay, writer’s block ambushes us all. When the blinking cursor paralyzes me, I turn to these underrated Microsoft Word tricks to help me get through the mental logjam.
8
Brain Dump With Voice
Typing that first sentence can often feel like wading through mud. When my fingers refuse to move, I borrow the productivity benefits of Word’s voice typing to wrangle writer’s block. Turning to a mindset of explaining something casually to an imaginary friend helps me verbalize on the page.
You need a Microsoft 365 subscription to use the Dictate command. Otherwise, you can use Windows speech recognition by pressing the Win + H shortcut.
Go to Ribbon > Home > Dictate to enable voice typing.
Talking bypasses the inner critic. This method is particularly effective for brainstorming sessions or when grappling with complex ideas. Just dictate the simplest version you can think of. Perfecting it can come later.
Use voice commands like “comma” or “new line” to format as you go.
7
Ask Copilot for a Dirty Draft
I fall back to Microsoft Copilot when I am completely stuck. There are three ways to trigger Copilot:
- Click on the Copilot button on the Ribbon.
- Select the Copilot icon on the Word page.
- Press the keyboard shortcut Alt + i.
You can start with an icebreaking prompt: “Give me three different opening paragraphs about [topic] in a casual tone.”
At this stage, I don’t think about crafting the perfect prompt for the best response.
Use Copilot to jumpstart your thoughts and not as a replacement for them. AI won’t judge your prompt, but you have to judge its answer.
6
Use Focus Mode
The Focus Mode turns Microsoft Word into a distraction-free editor. It removes the clutter of the Ribbon and makes a tiny dent on the writer’s block.
- Click on the Focus Mode button at the bottom right on the status bar. Alternatively, go to Ribbon > View > Focus.
- In Focus Mode, hover your mouse cursor over the three dots at the top of the screen to reveal the Ribbon.
- Select Background next to the Focus button on the Ribbon and choose a different background when you want.
Hit Esc to exit the Focus Mode and return to the regular view.
You can set up a different page color from Ribbon > Design > Page Color.
5
Make Speed With Placeholders
Remember, it’s a dirty draft. You don’t have to write every bit of information just yet in your document. When perfect phrasing is derailing your progress, mark tricky sections with something like [brackets].
I often write [example] or [url] to maintain my momentum instead of getting bogged down in the search for a hyperlink.
Can’t write an entire section? For now, fill the gap with random Lorem Ipsum dummy text. Type =lorem() and press Enter.
This gives you five paragraphs of three sentences each. You can specify the number of paragraphs and sentences you want with numbers within the bracket. For instance, (2,3) inserts two paragraphs with three sentences each.
You can also type =rand() for random placeholder text. Both types of placeholder text can help you visualize how a document will look once you start writing.
Use Text Highlight Color to mark words and sections you want to revisit later.
4
Free Write With Bullet Points
The first casualty of writer’s block is structured writing. Bullet points in Word are a less stressful method of quickly jotting down ideas on a blank page.
Instead of the Ribbon buttons, I like to use keyboard shortcuts for bullet lists to speed up thought dumps on the document.
- The keyboard shortcut for a bullet list is Ctrl + Shift + L.
- The fastest way to start a bullet list is with the asterisk button: Shift + 8.
- To create sub-bullets, use Alt + Shift + Right Arrow.
Once you have jotted down the main points, turn them into complete sentences and paragraphs.
3
Reach Milestones With “Achievement Badges”
Writer’s block often comes from a lack of motivation. So, I gamify my writing process by setting milestones and rewarding myself.
Microsoft Word makes this fun with its emoji, stock images, and icons. I insert little “badges” at checkpoints. These small visual rewards keep me engaged, like unlocking levels in a game.
- (Rocket) Article outline completed
- (Hand clap) 500 words written
- (High-Five) The first draft is finished!
To add them, go to Insert > Icons or use Windows + . (period) to open the emoji panel.
Set up real-world rewards by collecting “stars” as points for each milestone.
2
Plug Missing Gaps With Read Aloud
Usually, I reserve the speech feature to review and edit a finished document. However, reading aloud in Microsoft Word can help fill in gaps when nothing else strikes you.
Go to Review > Read Aloud to hear your draft spoken back.
As you listen, jot missing ideas or any awkward flow between sentences. As a listener, does the content make its point?
Swap the Read Aloud voice (Settings > Preferences > Speech) to a different gender—novelty can help you hear your work objectively.
1
Share to Crowdsource Ideas
Microsoft Word’s real-time collaboration feature lets me brainstorm with friends, colleagues, or editors—without opening another app. By clicking Share and inviting others, I get instant feedback. Sometimes, just seeing a comment like “expand on this” or “this part is great” is enough to restore my momentum.
Collaboration only works with documents saved to OneDrive or SharePoint.
If you don’t have a co-author, share your document with a writing buddy and ask for quick thoughts. A fresh set of eyes can work wonders for breaking through writing blocks. Fresh eyes can spot gaps, ask questions, or suggest angles you’ve missed.
Insert placeholders within the document and ask for ideas.
When Microsoft Word is part of your workflow, these tips reframe its familiar features. After all, the key to beating writer’s block is making writing more fun.
