Breaking the Block

Writer’s block! One of the most dreaded experiences we writers face. Maybe you abruptly lose momentum, or you get the gloomy feeling that everything you put on the page is dumb. Maybe you don’t have a plan for what should happen next. Or you have a plan, but that plan no longer works.

All authors go through this. Of necessity, we develop techniques to break through writer’s block. I’m going to share a few, and maybe you have your own methods to share, too.

First of all, I consider what else is going on in my life. There might be a chore I have to do, or a spat that needs to be sorted out with my family. I give myself permission to step away from writing and take care of whatever that is. Then it won’t be standing in my way any more.

Second, I discipline myself to at least LOOK at the story. There’s always some little tweak that can get me involved with the telling. I read through the final page I did before the block and ask myself, “then what?” Any new words I add might be terrible, but I at least have something to work with later.

Another thing I try is to bring the story into my mind while doing something else. Driving to and from work. Washing dishes. Showering. These are all blank times that I can sometimes persuade my mind to fill up with story.

Lastly, when I lie down to sleep at night, I let my mind wander through the world of the story. Very often, it will spark an idea. I keep a journal near my bed, so I can hop up and write things down.

What about all of you? I’d love to hear your ways to break a writer’s block.

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