Battling Writer's Block - and Winning!
A few months ago, a friend of mine was struggling with Writer's Block. She said she had all these ideas but the actual words weren't coming. I told her to just write whatever came to mind and she said that wouldn't work, that she had no motivation. I replied that she could then just write about not knowing what to write, literally, "I don't know what to write write write write this is boring what can I write about," or something like that. Sure enough, she tried it and she finally had a breakthrough!
So here are my thoughts on Writer's Block:
1. Writing repetitively is a great start to getting through it. Our brains do not like to repeat the same words and images over and over - if we do, they start to filter in other ideas, and those ideas can turn into new images, words, and stories. Use those newborn thoughts to write something down. You are being creative and not letting Writer's Block keep you from words.
2. Get your blood flowing. It is a scientific fact that moving increases blood flow to the brain, which increases oxygen to the brain, which increases the brain's ability to function, which increases creativity. If you are stuck, get up, walk around your house or the block, go for a jog or to the gym, do some squats or jumping jacks. At the end of it, when you get back in front of that computer screen or notebook, words with start pouring out.
3. Don't force it! Sometimes you have an idea you want to pursue, but SOMETHING ELSE wants to come out. Let it. The new idea may eventually lead back to the one you wanted to write, but it may lead to the start of something new. The key is not to lock it in. You are actually creating your own block in this sense.
4. Write the part you really want to write. A lot of time, I start a story and I have the whole thing in my head. But when I start to write, I find the words don't really want to come - maybe a page or two in. I usually stop and take a minute to think about why the story excited me so much. After letting those images form, I usually skip ahead and WRITE that FIRST! It seems obvious, but some of my best writing is when I've let myself get to the parts that are my favorite part of the story. Yes, then later you have to work backwards and make sure everything fits, but by that time, you've usually written at least half (if not most, as in my case) of the story, and those awkward moments you can't get through turn out to be a lot easier or taken care of in editing. I often highlight a spot I'm not ready to write like this, FINISH, so I don't forget where I'm at.
5. Relax! It's your story - it's in your head for a reason. Don't constrict blood flow (and oxygen) by getting overly tense at not reaching word or page count goals for the day, week, or even month. We use words constantly, and the ones needed to tell your story will come if you let them and give yourself time and trust. And even if the story never gets written, something else will.
Writers have to write, so don't let Writer's Block become an uphill battle. Dig out trenches and watch that seemingly insurmountable blockade crumble beneath the onslaught of your creativity.
So here are my thoughts on Writer's Block:
1. Writing repetitively is a great start to getting through it. Our brains do not like to repeat the same words and images over and over - if we do, they start to filter in other ideas, and those ideas can turn into new images, words, and stories. Use those newborn thoughts to write something down. You are being creative and not letting Writer's Block keep you from words.
2. Get your blood flowing. It is a scientific fact that moving increases blood flow to the brain, which increases oxygen to the brain, which increases the brain's ability to function, which increases creativity. If you are stuck, get up, walk around your house or the block, go for a jog or to the gym, do some squats or jumping jacks. At the end of it, when you get back in front of that computer screen or notebook, words with start pouring out.
3. Don't force it! Sometimes you have an idea you want to pursue, but SOMETHING ELSE wants to come out. Let it. The new idea may eventually lead back to the one you wanted to write, but it may lead to the start of something new. The key is not to lock it in. You are actually creating your own block in this sense.
4. Write the part you really want to write. A lot of time, I start a story and I have the whole thing in my head. But when I start to write, I find the words don't really want to come - maybe a page or two in. I usually stop and take a minute to think about why the story excited me so much. After letting those images form, I usually skip ahead and WRITE that FIRST! It seems obvious, but some of my best writing is when I've let myself get to the parts that are my favorite part of the story. Yes, then later you have to work backwards and make sure everything fits, but by that time, you've usually written at least half (if not most, as in my case) of the story, and those awkward moments you can't get through turn out to be a lot easier or taken care of in editing. I often highlight a spot I'm not ready to write like this, FINISH, so I don't forget where I'm at.
5. Relax! It's your story - it's in your head for a reason. Don't constrict blood flow (and oxygen) by getting overly tense at not reaching word or page count goals for the day, week, or even month. We use words constantly, and the ones needed to tell your story will come if you let them and give yourself time and trust. And even if the story never gets written, something else will.
Writers have to write, so don't let Writer's Block become an uphill battle. Dig out trenches and watch that seemingly insurmountable blockade crumble beneath the onslaught of your creativity.
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