Got Writer's block? How to overcome and get back to your writing
by CENGAGE EDUCATION
You know that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you stare
blankly at a page and absolutely nothing of value comes to mind? Every
word, every sentence you write seems clunky and inappropriate and you
seriously wonder why anyone would consider reading - not to mention
paying you money - for the words you write.
Welcome to the world of Writer's Block, and yes it does affect every
writer at some point in his or her work.
However, good writers and professional writers will find a way to get
through the block in order to get the job done. Meanwhile, amateur
writers bemoan the obstacle, placing the blame on lack of creative
inspiration, distractions, moods and situations beyond their control -
and then stop writing.
Don't let writer's block get the best of you. Here are some ideas to
overcome and get back into your writing.
Do more research - the great Australian writer John Scott told a
University of Sydney class, you can research your way out of anything
(loosely paraphrased). His philosophy, when it comes to story writing is
to keep researching and researching everything about the setting, the
history, the characters - anything that your writing is based on. The
more research you do, the more ideas you'll have to ground your story -
even if it's fiction writing.
Keep writing - even if the sentences aren't perfect and the ideas poorly
formed, putting your ideas on paper (or computer screen!) will give you
a starting point to work with. Sometimes, we'll hit the boring bits of
our writing that are less fun to write but are necessary to keep the
narrative flowing. You can always come back and edit, rewrite or
completely scrap things later, but by plodding on, you can get through
the rough patches and be somewhere in your writing that's a bit more
inspired.
Get a change of scenery - find motivation elsewhere by changing your
surroundings. Go for a walk, move to a cafe or even just go into another
room for awhile and get some new perspective. Take a break from your
work - but always take a notebook with you because you'll never know
when inspiration will finally hit
Feed your mind and body - ensure you're looking after yourself, both
physically and mentally. By eating a healthy diet, getting some regular
exercise and even some doing some cleansing meditation, you're taking
care of the tools that are vital to your work - your mind, body and
spirit.
Get some professional help - we don't mean a psychiatrist (though for
some that could help too...) but enrolling in professional writing
courses, like those offered by the Australian College of Journalism, can
give you valuable insight from real professionals on how to structure
your writing process. Regular assignments will also encourage you to be
disciplined and methodical about your work.Amazines.com
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