How Fighter's Blocks! Uses a Video Game to Solve Writer's Block

“Fighter’s Blocks!” is a unique app aimed at helping writers write more. It uses video game mechanics to gamify the writing process and incentivize productivity.

Writers, no matter the genre, often encounter writer’s block and other obstacles to productivity. As both an optimized content writer at Edgy Labs, poet, and fiction writer, I know this experience intimately.

I’m also an avid gamer across all kinds of genres and a huge fan of “mash-ups”.

Fighter’s Block! merges the world of video games with the world of wordsmithing. But does this gamification really help writers get over their blocks?

Fighter’s Block! to Smash Writer’s Woes

In the game, You play as “Red”, the magic user from “Somewhereshire” hunting some kind of “carnivore”. You can choose from three avatars as pictured in the upper left part of the image above.

But, the more you play, the more characters you can unlock. This is just one more incentive to “play more” and write more at the same time.

Not only can this game help you get over writer’s block, it says it can condition you to get over “sheer laziness”. Let’s be honest. It isn’t always a lack of creativity or inspiration that’s the problem.

Other games employ this mechanic, too, like Learn Japanese to Survive – Hiragana Battle. You stay alive by learning Japanese (just like the title says).

This tool serves to help writers overcome self-editing habits, as well. After all, you are operating on a timer, so you need to meet your word goal in time.

Does Gamification Really Work?

Marketers love to use gamification to amp up audience engagement. That’s why companies like Starbucks “gamified” purchasing coffee in their new app.

But it doesn’t always work. In the case of Fighter’s Block!, results may vary from writer to writer. You can also use a “Pause” button which may or may not affect results.

I would also like to note that, for some reason, Fighter’s Block! would not work on my PC. I even tried it in Microsoft Edge (gag), but no dice. 

It does appear to work on Android mobile, at least. Of course…typing on a mobile phone for long periods of time is not optimal.

You can also try the app Write or Die which functions similarly, but has a more involved user interface. If you can get Fighter’s Block! to work for you, let us know in the comments.

Maybe you can lend me your tech wizardry, so I can get back to slaying not-a-blocks.

What are some apps you use that gamify your job responsibilities or hobby activities?