Oh writer’s block, how I loathe thee. Blogers, copywriters, poets, students, novolists, reporters. Writers of all walks of life experience the little goblin known as writer’s block at one time or another.
According to the dictionary, writer’s block is “The condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing”.
I read a hilarious quote on the internet the other day, ‘Writing is 90 percent eating dry cereal and binge watching TV” I laughed so hard I spit out my coffee because nothing could be further from fiction. If you are a writer of any sort you get it.
What causes this little goblin to haunt your dreams? Lack of inspiration? Perfectionism? Laziness? Procrastination? In my opinion, it’s a combination of all of the above.
So let’s dive into 6 easy things we can do today to combat this little bugger.
- Just Start Writing
The thing about writing is, at some point you just have to do the damn thing! So whip out your notebook and proceed to scribble whatever comes to mind. Then highlight what’s most important and elaborate on it. Don’t worry about how stupid it sounds at the moment, eventually your ideas will come together in a cohesive manner. If you still can’t come up with anything to write about, then read. Read an article, chapter of a book, a poem and you will be surprised at how quickly you draw inspiration from pre-written work. Perhaps you can offer a unique perspective on a topic by drawing from personal experience.
- Change Of Scenery
This one is my personal favourite. The other day I grabbed my Laptop and ventured out to a local coffee shop. I chose a comfortable spot by the window with the sunlight dancing across my face. I looked up at the wall in front of me and spotted a written quote, it said, “ Do it now maybe later becomes never”. This prompted me to open my laptop and start writing. My point is, something as simple as changing your scenery, even if it’s just a local coffee shop, can accelerate creativity in ways you can’t access by staying in one place.
- Exercise
Walk, swim, do Yoga, hike, just get moving! Exercise allows your brain to relax just enough to get the creative juices flowing. The dopamine hit alone will offer motivation and energy. Get up and do a few squats in between paragraphs, it doesn’t have to be a hardcore workout, just enough to invite a rush of oxygen to the brain. Moreover, sitting in one spot can be very hard on the spine, neck and joints, creating a very uncomfortable writing experience. Allow your body to move in order to combat this issue.
- Create A Writer Friendly Environment
One of my biggest challenges as a writer is creating a comfortable space. Your immediate environment plays such a vital role in being able to produce written or any sort of creative endeavours. Cut out all distractions, make sure you have a comfortable desk and chair, fill your room with plants, listen to pleasant music with no words, make sure you’re not too cold or too hot. Basically build a space filled with pleasantries inducing the ability to stay focused and comfortable.
- Write Out OF Order
Avoid forcing yourself into a rigid writing routine. Make the writing process fun by bouncing in between paragraphs.Unless you are completely in flow with a particular idea ( in that case stay on that wave). Write out titles or lists and then write around them. Remember you can always edit or polish things up later.
- Sleep On It
Beatles singer Paul McCartney stated that he wrote the hit song “Yesterday” post hearing it in a dream. Theoretical Physicist Albert Einstein championed sleep and napping as a huge player in his problem solving skills and breakthrough ideas. So if you tried all of the above suggestions and you still feel stuck, hit the sack and trust that the ideas will come.
In conclusion, just write something, leave the house, move, get comfortable, keep it fun and sleep! Let the guilt go, it happens to all of us. It’s a natural part of the writing process and the little goblin WILL get bored and leave you alone eventually.
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Words in Flight 
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