Top Ten Tips - Beating Writer’s Block
By Tip Diva | Mar 04, 2008
Categories: Activities, Behavior, Blogging, Blogs, Books, Computer, Creativity, Difficulty, Editing, Essays, Internet, Job, Neighborhood, Organization, Proofreading, Sleeping, Stories, Tips, Web, Websites, Word Processors, Work, Writing
When Tip Diva is not thinking of advice and how-tos for this website, she writes for a trade magazine. Writing for both a magazine and a blog can be pretty taxing on her brain, and she sometimes finds herself continuously staring at a blank Word document. Writer’s block happens to the best of us, but there are some ways you can beat it:
- Make An Outline - Get down to the nitty-gritty of what your writing in the outline. Write down the basic parts of your story and essay, and use it as a guideline as you write. Fill in the details as you go along. You may even want to try mind mapping, like you used to do in elementary school.
- Write Down All Your Thoughts And Connect The Dots Afterwards - Write anything and everything down. Make it a free association. What you write down can be totally irrelevant, but keep writing until your mind feels free or you’ve run out of ideas. Analyze these thoughts, and see where you can connect the dots to make a story.
- Reorganize - Read what you’ve already written, and see if you can make any changes to the structure. Just moving a part or two may be enough to get your words flowing again.
- Work Backwards - If you know the conclusion of your story or essay, write it first. Then work backwards, filling in how you arrived to that conclusion.
- Look For Inspiration Elsewhere - Read books, watch TV, surf the Web, drive around and take in the world around you. You never know when, where and how you’ll receive inspiration and ideas. Make sure to carry around a notebook to jot down any inspiration you receive.
- Get Some Exercise - Getting some fresh air and exercise is a sure-fire way to clear your mind and get the gears working again. You don’t have to go for an all-out Tae-bo session; even stretching or brisk walk around the block will help.
- Get Some Sleep - Sleepiness hinders your ability to think and write clearly, so get some snooze if you’re beginning to doze off. Your mind will be much clearer when you wake up.
- Rid Yourself Of Interruptions - Don’t do things like checking your e-mail, answering the phone or doing your laundry if you need to write. Actions like these interrupt your train of thought, and that great idea you had five minutes ago can simply vanish. If you find yourself needing to do other things, leave them for when you’re not writing.
- Ask For Input - Have someone read what you’ve already written and get their input and ideas. They may find that missing thread that will pull everything together and get your wheels turning again.
- Take A Break - Whether it’s five minutes or 24 hours, take a break from writing and do other things. The break may be enough to clear and focus your mind.
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Thanks for submitting this to the Rhythm of Write blog carnival! Please stop by and check out the other submissions as well. Good luck!
Deborah
http://www.therhythmofwrite.com