Which strategy can help alleviate writer's block during an extemporaneous writing event?

Taking a moment to breathe is an effective strategy for alleviating writer's block during an extemporaneous writing event because it allows the writer to pause, clear their mind, and reduce anxiety. This simple act can help reset focus and bring clarity, enabling the individual to approach the prompt with a fresh perspective. By calming the mind and body, a writer can overcome feelings of pressure or overwhelm, which are common causes of writer's block.

Other strategies, while they may seem useful, do not directly address the immediate need to overcome the mental block. Reading unrelated texts might serve as a distraction, but it could also divert attention away from the prompt. Ignoring the prompt entirely would lead to completely missing the task requirements, and relying solely on previous notes might result in stagnation if the notes do not spark new ideas, making it harder to generate fresh content in the moment.