One question I hear thrown around the writing community a lot is "What do you do when you get writer's block?" Here are my top 5 pieces of advice (and 5 that I don't fancy):
1. Read a book
It sounds counter-intuitive but sometimes reading another book can get you out of a funk, give you inspiration, or just give you a break. Reading more also helps you become a better writer. Try it - you'll be surprised.
2. Listen to music
I pretty much always listen to music while I write. Each of my books has its own personalized playlist. I find if I play it soft enough, it's just enough to stimulate my brain without distracting me.
3. Push through it
This is hard one, especially when the easiest thing to do when you have writer's block is to just stop. Sometimes, the thing holding you back is that you just don't know how to write what you want to say. At those times, you just kind of have to grit you teeth and do it. It's important to remember that even if it's garbage, you can edit later.
4. Step away and do anything creative
There are other times when it is a good idea to step away and take a break. But you can still keep yourself inspired by doing something else that is creative. Do you like to paint or draw? Maybe you like to sing or you play an instrument? Keeping the creative juices flowing doesn't necessarily mean you have to be sitting in front of a blank page.
5. Clean up your space
I never feel better than when my place is clean and everything is in its place. Sometimes even just the act of cleaning is enough to kick me into the right gear, but certainly having a nice tidy home helps me clear my mind enough to write.
Now here are a few things I don't personally like, but they may still help other people:
1. Freewriting
I'm just not a big fan of freewriting. I've tried it a few times, but for me, the fact that it doesn't go anywhere, that it doesn't contribute to any of the dozen or so books that I'm working just doesn't help me. However, some people do find freewriting helps them to get over a block that they're dealing with.
2. Create a schedule
Some people love this. They get up every day at 5am and write for an hour, or they carve out a certain time every day or week to write. I think that's great! But it doesn't work for me and I can't schedule writing around my family. So I pretty much write whenever I feel like it/get a chance. I should add though writing frequently will make you a better writer, whether you stick to a set schedule or not.
3. Get your body moving
Again - this is great for some people. Exercise makes people feel energized, so they're more in the right mindset to do things like write. But I don't exercise much and I don't think I've ever said to myself, "I can't write this. maybe I'll go for a jog." The closest I've come to this is pacing, but that's about it.
4. Drink coffee
All this does for me is keep me awake at night, to be honest. But I get where this advice is coming from. If coffee can wake you up and give you a clear mind, then you might be more set up to actually write something.
5. Go on social media
Hahahahaha. No. I don't even remember where I read this advice, but the only reason I go on social media is to procrastinate and distract myself. It certainly does not help me get over writer's block. But you do you, random person who suggested this.
Not matter what works for you, the most important thing to remember is that in the end, you won't get over your block unless you actually write something. As the marketing folks at Nike like to say: Just. Do. It.
- Natasja
