Having trouble making the home stretch? Is your deadline looming ahead like a dark cloud of stress and misery? Has your brain simply stalled? You need to stop and take a step back.
Working through writers' block is something that every writer has to do at some point. It isn't the end of the world; it's just a speed bump. Sometimes your brain simply can't take it anymore and needs to focus on something else. Try taking a break. Set your writing aside and go stretch your legs. Try taking a walk, getting your blood pumping a little might help the flow to your brain. You may find inspiration beyond the words and that gaping blank space where you need to put more. Get yourself a snack, or something to drink, or win a game of Minesweeper. There are a number of things you can do to give your mind a breather.
Do you listen to music while you write? Give it a try. If you do, try changing the track or perhaps try a little bit of silence. Read a chapter of that trashy romance novel you've been dying to open, watch someone cook blintzes on TV, or find an online art gallery and stare at pretty pictures. If all else fails and you have the time, try taking a nap. Sometimes sleeping on a problem is all you need to fix it. Let your subconscious poke at it until it jostles something loose that you can make use of when you wake up.
No man is an island; you may need the help of other people to work through your writer's block. You can consult an expert on how to work with this. You can also make use of the internet and search ways on how to solve this problem. Visit a forum and for sure, there are thousands of writers with the same issue and searching for solutions. Go out and have some fun! Go to a bar and meet people. You might be able to get ideas from them, who knows? Sometimes, when you least expect it, wonderful things happen.
You might also need a new working environment. Try writing at the park, coffee house, the library, or even in a mall! If that's still not doing it look for some inspiration. Think about the people you look up to. Look up on the internet those authors whose writings you truly believe in. Learn more about their life and their inspirations. Read about influential people and know more about their contributions to society. You can get enlightenment from just a simple spark of inspiration.
Another thing that might help is for you to list down everything that is going on in your mind. Just write EVERYTHING down. Doodle. Make sure you have lots of paper. It will surely look messy but leave the mess before going back to it. Don't go through it with a clouded mind. It will make you go crazy. All of your ideas are already written down and you just have to get back to it after you have rested.
Remember, though, that there's a difference between taking a much-needed break and procrastinating. Maybe, what you really need now is to try staring at that empty page again until the words come to you. Don't worry, they will.
0 comments:
Post a Comment