Writer's block. It's the massive godzilla boogeyman of the author-world. The horror that we would much rather not talk about. That thing we've all had and don't want to remember. The opposite of procrastination with the same result.
I did a series last month about how to organize your time to get some actual writing done. But what about when you have the time and want to write, but you can't get the words to come out of your head and get on the page?
Part of my work is as a writing coach, with both fiction and non-fiction authors. Usually it is with busy people who have a lot of creative ideas and want some structure for getting them out of their head and on to the page. This week I want to talk about a few of the methods I use so that you can try them out the next time you are dealing with writer's block.
Here's what I'll cover this week:
1. Email freewrites: If you're having a hard time sitting down to write, why not just start emailing yourself all those random ideas you have, rather than letting them wilt in your brain?
2. Scheduled Freewrites: Rather than waiting for the right thing to write, commit to a set time and just write whatever is going on in your head, not whatever you think is good and on topic.
3. Interviews: Sometimes what you need to get writing again is for someone to push and poke at your ideas. Then record it!
4. Storytime: Telling stories is what we all started out writing for, in one way or another. When you can't write them down, it can help to tell it to yourself out loud.
5. Research: If you have a story or a book you are blocked on writing, sometimes starting the research around secondary characters or for examples to support your main points will help get the dusty wheels turning in your head.
What tricks do you use to get yourself to break through writer's block?
Image source: photosteve101 via flickr
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