There is no single cure for writer's block but there are creative ways of overcoming it and getting the ink flowing again.
Its a writer¡¦s worst nightmare, when the ink stops flowing and the imagination becomes a desert; especially if there¡¦s a deadline to meet, so what can you do to get the wheels in motion again. While there¡¦s no definitive cure for writer¡¦s block there are ways around it. Here¡¦s a range of tips to prevent thoughts solidifying and nudges to help thaw the imagination;
- Schedule your writing; set aside some time, preferable the same time each day, where you can sit quietly and comfortably and do your writing without distraction.
- Always keep several writing projects on the go simultaneously. This way, if you burn out on one you can switch to another, often something totally new comes up in between.
- Keep a journal, each day write about a particular event. If nothing especially interesting happened then embellish a mundane occurrence or something someone said.
- Be outrageous, thing of the most daring statement or act your fictional character might make and the affects this might have and see where this leads.
- Sit in you local coffee shop with your notebook, keep your ears open for snippets of conversation and use them to develop a scene or plot.
- Get together with a fellow writer and have a brainstorming session, take turns at writing a scene or developing a character.
- Listen to the lyrics some of your favorite songs, what stories are going on here, how could you develop them into a piece of prose?
- Take a break from what you¡¦re working on and just write freely what¡¦s on your mind right now.
- Open one of your favorite books and pick out words randomly, write them down and then work them into a scene and see what comes out.
- Try writing in a totally different setting than you usually do, outdoors or on the bus.
- Take a walk, forget about your writing, just observe, walk around the mall or gallery, watching people, their mannerisms and the way they interact, then go home and write about what you¡¦ve seen.
- Try writing in a totally different style or genre, something you wouldn¡¦t usually use, this might just open up a new thread of creativity you didn¡¦t know you had.
- Talk your writing out loud to someone or into a tape recorder them play in back, try to listen objectively.
- Don¡¦t always begin at the beginning, if you have an idea begin in the middle and work your way out, let the story unfold itself for you.
- Always remember you have the talent and creativity to write, look back through some of the pieces you have written which you are proud of and give your confidence a boost.
