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In March 2009, I started blogging for myself. I had been a writer most of my life. I had been blogging for years for others. Attending the Blissdom conference gave me that last little...
Writer's block happens to the best of us, but it is awful. Imagine, you're sitting there trying to work and your brain just won't allow it. It's uncomfortable, to say the least. How do we overcome writer's block and stimulate our brains back into overdrive? Try these four tips to get your brain moving and the words flying back onto the page. We hope that this How to Overcome Writers Block post inspires you.
It sounds funny, but you need inspiration, right? Look for pictures of what you are writing. Most people when they have writer’s block sit and stare at their computer screen or the blank pages of their notebook. That means you’re relying on only one source of information: Your brain! That same brain that is too exhausted to put anything else out. Go to a page and look up pictures of your subject. Are you writing about parenting? Look at pictures of parents playing with their children. Are you writing about Gardening? Peer at some plants. This visual stimulation can bring in some elements that you didn’t have before.
If you have written a lot on the topic at hand, you may draw some new ideas from your archives. Have you changed the way you’ve done things in the past? Maybe come up with some new techniques or tips you’ve never tried before. Now is your chance to update them in the form of a new piece of content. After all, who is a better source for your writing besides you?
If you simply cannot think of anything new to say, or recycle, now is the time to branch out. Go see what other people in your area of discussion are talking about. What are the latest innovations? Be careful here, because you don't want to toe the line too closely between inspiration and outright imitation. All you're looking for here is the opportunity to get your ideas flowing to break up your writer's block. Do not plagiarize or steal. People who are doing what you are doing can be a great source for new ways to say what you want to say.
Writing is not for the faint of heart. It is the need to constantly cycle through your mind to find a way to say what you want to say without sounding trite or repetitive. Constantly having to refresh your expression on topics you have already spoken on requires you to take in new information constantly so make sure you are taking the time to replenish your mind. The challenge of writer's block is that usually, you are feeling a little burnt out on the topic at hand.
It is alright if you need to take a break. Walk away. Get out in the sunshine, and go have a conversation with an old friend. Meet up with someone new. Whatever you do, you have to stop staring at the keys and the pen and trying to think of something new. Beat writer's block by doing something different. We hope that this How to Overcome Writers Block post inspires you. Happy writing!