Although I visit my keyboard daily, I still battle writer’s block on occasion. I stare at the screen, waiting for words to spring forth. Nothing.
Blink. Blink. Blink.
That dang cursor isn’t going to move itself, so I get have to trick my brain into getting inspired, and here’s how I do it.
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1. Write something else.
Get away from the assignment or project you’re working on and play with words. Write a list of holiday gift ideas. Make a weekend to-do list. Write something for your personal blog. Try your hand at poetry. Do anything to get your brain into the writing flow, then gently transition back to your initial writing task.
2. Watch a movie.
Give your brain a total break from the writing process and be a passive observer of a story. Is there great dialog? Is the plot strong? Admire some of the script writing and use that as inspiration for your opening line or a few bulletpoints to get your creative wheels turning.
3. Hit the gym.
Or, for me, it’s the yoga studio. When I’m on my mat I’m able to clear my mind and the tension that goes along with deadlines and blank screens. Focus on your breath and the movement of your body as you exercise. After yoga, I’m ready to relax at my desk and create something.
4. Spend time with pets.
Smile, laugh and play with your animal buddies. I have two dogs and often take backyard breaks with them to give my eyes a break from the computer screen. Often, soaking in the sun and listening to the birds chirp for a few minutes relaxes me enough to let new ideas pop into my brain.
5. Make a mind map.
Sometimes I just can’t find the right words for the topic. So, I’ll sit down and brainstorm words and phrases that explain how the topic makes someone feel, synonyms for common words used to describe the topic and related ideas. Usually mind mapping gets things rolling, so I can some up with some bulletpoints or subheadings to help guide my writing.
6. Do a Twitter hashtag search.
Jump on social media and scour other articles related to your topic. Learn more about the subject and see what views other authors have explored. This helps me find new angles on topics that I’ve written about several times.
7. Ask a question.
I like to post my ideas on Facebook, then ask my readers and writer friends to give me some feedback. Their thoughts and suggestions often shape my writing projects for this blog and my lifestyle blog.
How do you like to break out of a writing rut? Comment below!
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