Yes, that’s right. I am suffering from the plight that effects all writers.

What writer’s block means to me:

Basically, I am still writing. BUT IT IS NOT ENJOYABLE! I have to force every word. Every time I am at the end of a paragraph, I have to push myself to keep going. It takes me 3 hours to write something that I normally write in 1. Is it going too far to say that it’s torture?

Normally I can break through it simply by pushing myself to write even when I’m not feeling it, but this time it doesn’t seem to be working.

So, there’s no time like the present to try various techniques to break the cycle of painful writing and get back into power writer mode.

3 tips and tricks:

I’ve come up with a few ideas to help. If you also have writer’s block, let’s try them all out together!

1-Go somewhere new

I put this as the number one tip because in the past I’ve always found that being in a new environment is all I needed to make the story and my writing seem fresh and exciting again.

My typical haunts would be any new cafe (yes, I am one of those >> look, I can’t sit around in my room writing all the time, i’d go crazy. I need somewhere else that is warm and cozy and has coffee.) Other places that work for me are libraries, parks, my porch/deck. Anywhere that you will feel extremely comfortable, relaxed and stimulated will work.

Try this out and hopefully you wont need any of the other steps.

2-Schedule your writing

Structure works for planning what you’re writing, it often works to get ahead and beat writers block too.

If you schedule two hours to write at 9 am, let’s say, the rule is that you cannot get up, wander around or brows the web. You face that blank screen or page and you write, even if it is one letter at a time.

The idea is that by the end of your scheduled time, you will be so into what your writing that it wont be forced anymore. the longer you do it the more you’ll get into it, right? …right?

3-Write something else

Put your project aside, even if just for a few minutes and think of something else to write that piques your interest. If you have no other ideas simply look at someone or something of interest and describe them/it in detail as though introducing an important character or object into a larger story.

This does wonders for getting your creative juices flowing. Whenever you’re ready, go back to your original project.

Does it work?

Maybe those aren’t extravagant ideas but I believe that they work and if you devote yourself to them, you’ll end up with a finished project in no time.

Let’s get to it!

H.A. Kinani