“Writer’s block” as a common term, you must have heard that term often enough and wondered what it is. And why is a writer so scary?
Writers’ block, as the term suggests, is a state of fear or anxiety. It can be fear of failure as a writer or it can be fear that what you have written is not good enough to be published. As for why, it’s scary because sometimes days can go by without a written word and that’s really scary for a writer whose livelihood depends on it.
So now the question is how to cure this writer’s block. Here are ten easy ways to cure it.
1. Meditate
When and if you find yourself looking at the screen or blank paper, just get up from there, sit in a comfortable position, and start meditating. Focus on your breathing and, as you do so, think of something that excited you. And by emotional it can be anything, whether it makes you happy, sad, crying or laughing. Review your past and feel those emotions again, but with the objectivity of a knowledgeable person. After a while, open your eyes and write about those feelings, you will be amazed at the flow of words.
2. Read
Reading is very important to a writer. Not only does he keep us informed about the world and his wife, he also increases our vocabulary, keeps us from being blocked by writers. Read everything you can find: books, novels, magazines, flyers, brochures, signs, posters. You never know where the inspiration will come from in your head and you will head to your PC to capture that inspiration in a beautiful mix of words.
3. Take a walk
Walking is another way to heal writer’s block and is a proven method of curing it. When you’re stuck near whatever you’ve been doing, put on your walking shoes and go for a walk. Take the route you would normally avoid and take your notepad or dictaphone with you so you can record your experience.
4. Talk to your friend
How long has it been since you called your friend just to say hi? Call them now and let the discussion take its own course from there. Ask them about themselves, their family, their job, and anything under the sun. People are generally encouraged by genuine questions about themselves and open up easily. Not only will this exercise be beneficial to you, but you could have unknowingly helped a friend who was waiting for an ear to hear about your problems.
5. Visit a nearby store
When you feel like you’re facing writer’s block, just get up, get dressed, and head to the nearby department store. As you make a purchase, observe the buying habits of various people and write it down in your notepad. Talk to the salesperson about the different brands of your favorite product or just ask about them. Talk to the cashier about his life, family or even his job and voila, you have some new characters for your story or new ideas to work on for your article.
6. Network
Networking is very important for any profession and more so for writers. As is life, great stories and writings have been inspired. So brainstorm with anyone in your area, from the garbage collector to the elevator operator, the cleaning lady, your neighbors, and the pizza delivery boy. The idea is to talk and get their opinions on life in general.
7. Watch a movie
Yes, watch a movie as it can be quite relaxing for your stressed mind. And while watching a movie, plan your story. Imagine that the characters in the movie are your characters, how would you like them to behave in a certain sequence in a movie? If you had been the writer, what angle would the story have taken? Plan all of this and write it down on your notepad and then turn it into a complete story with your characters.
8. Get out of your comfort zone and think outside the box.
Too often writers get stuck in their comfort zone, as if they were writing a fiction, they would stick to fiction and also to a particular genre of fiction. Get out of your comfort zone and think about different genres. If you have been writing romantics, try romantic thrillers and if you have been writing romantic thrillers, try writing action thrillers.
9. Talk to your characters
You have planned your characters but you are not able to carry the story forward, so what do you do? Start talking to your characters like they are real people with real problems. Interview them or just have a casual make-believe chat with them. Ask your characters some questions and then, thinking from their perspective, answer those questions. But be sure to write down both the questions and the answers.
10. Visit a park
When you feel there is a lack of inspiration in or around your home; then get out and visit a nearby park. Not only will it be relaxing to watch the children play, but it can also get your brain working with some ideas. Observe other visitors. What are they doing? Are they taking a walk or just sitting with friends and chatting? And be sure to write down everything you see and then go back and develop that into a scene or a short story.
11. Work on something else
All right, you’ve tried everything under the sun to cure writer’s block and still can’t write a word. Then just turn off the PC and start working on something else. It can be anything from cleaning your wardrobe to mowing your lawn. Doing these mechanical tasks gives your mind a break and your mind begins to contemplate the story and when you finish your task you are dying to turn on your PC and start typing.
Aside from the tips mentioned above, the best way to cure your writer’s block is to write. Yes, write through the lock, don’t stop to read or edit what you have written, just keep writing and you will surely cure the writer’s block.
