Overcoming Writer's Block

If you ever thought there couldn't be controversial opinions in the writing circle -  well look no further than writer's block. There are those that believe it is a real thing that can plague writers and leave them staring at their blank pages for days on end, and then there are those that believe writer's block is a myth made up to excuse lazy writers who don't feel like showing up to work. 

I'm in the halfway camp believing that we can be stuck in our stories and that sometimes it is just a form of procrastination hiding out as another thing. The same as productive procrastination or the - well I couldn't write because I had to do the laundry excuse. 

If you're feeling blocked in your writing or looking for a way to procrastinate your writing by scrolling through the internet looking for a magic cure that will get you back into writing look no further because here we go. 

Freewriting and Brainstorming

Maybe the problem you're having is that you're stuck in your current work in progress and you're not sure where to take it from where you are. Well, working on your novel doesn't have to mean working on the word count in your book. 

Take a blank piece of paper and start writing down things about your story that you have or have not included in your story. What's your protagonist's favorite color? What do they like to do when they're bored? Fill a page with a random scene you want to include later on in your novel, but you just haven't gotten to that point to write it yet. Writing a novel doesn't have to be linear, feel free to skip around or work on it in other ways. 

Change Your Environment

Just like how school got boring because you showed up at the same place at the same time and did the same thing. For day after day after day, writing can get to you the same way. There are only so many hours in a day I can write at my desk that I either take a notebook or my AlphaSmart to another part of the house just to have a change of scenery. If my characters are outside sometimes I even try to sit on the porch just to feel the wind like my characters would be. 

Take a Break and Engage in Other Creative Activities

Your creative outlet doesn't have to be solely focused on one thing. If you're feeling blocked in your writing, try painting, dancing, learning a musical instrument, or my favorite - baking. I'm currently writing a fall-themed contemporary romance and she does a lot of baking - so I do as well, but when I'm not writing and my brain still wants to do something creative - I paint. I'm not good at it and there's no one there to judge me, it's just me expressing myself in another art form when typing just isn't in me for the day. 

Set Small, Achievable Goals

Maybe you're getting overwhelmed with the word count or workload you put on yourself for the day so try to break it down into smaller goals and timetables instead. You don't have to write an entire chap[ter in one day, you can settle for just getting a few hundred words down each day and finish the chapter in a week if you're being too overwhelmed. Celebrate the completion of these mini-goals to help keep you motivated each step of the way. 

Seek Inspiration from Different Sources

Read, watch Television, go see a movie, walk around your local park, or browse the shelves at your local bookstore. Inspiration isn't going to just walk up to your writing desk and place itself in front of your blank page - sometimes you have to go out and look for it. People watching and clean air are both wonderful things to fuel a writer's imagination. 

Embrace Writing Exercises and Prompts

If you're stuck then have someone else tell you where to start. I start every day with a writing prompt so I don't have to think about what I am going to do first. I sit, I wake up my computer and I go to callofwriting.com and set the goal to whatever I feel like using for a kick in the morning pants before I begin. Sometimes I get great pieces of flash fiction out of these and sometimes I even get scenes to add to my story. Some say writer's block is only stopping you from getting started and once you start writing something, anything, you'll be ready to tackle whatever project you need to work on. 

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No matter what is keeping you from writing, just remember that it's not permanent. Maybe you just need to take a few days off to reset your mind and maybe you need to start working on something else and get back to the story you're just not ready to write yet. The most important thing to know is that this is not a sign for you to give up, it's just a sign for you to go easy on yourself and either let yourself rest, or kick yourself in the pants and get back to writing. 

Keep Writing. Keep Reading. 

With Love, 

B.K.xo

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