I don’t care if you’re writing a book, a blog or an email, writers block is real and it’s something that everyone goes through. I think writers block is worse now because we have so many distractions in our lives. Every time I try to sit down and write it seems like I have a phone call or text message. There’s always something to distract you and that’s just when you’re ready to write. Between work, family, responsibilities and other tasks that need to be completed, things can get overwhelming and the last thing you want to do is sit down at a computer and start typing. But if you want to get the pages done, you have to work at it. Here are the top 5 ways I’ve found to beat writers block:
- Set goals: You have to be realistic when you get started. You are not going to write the entire draft in a day or even a week. It’s going to be a process and you are going to go back and make changes. Make sure you set realistic goals. I try to write 500 words a day every day. It’s a small goal but can translate to a new novel every ten months. And it’s not so large as to be intimidating. That’s fair and it will keep you motivated.
- Walk and talk: Take a walk around your house, go outside and walk around the neighborhood, talk on the phone with a friend or even talk to yourself about the storyline. Talking it out is a great way to help add flow to the story and give yourself fresh ideas for when you return to the computer.
- Distract yourself: Sometimes you focus too much on the story and it’s not a good thing. You need a mental break so sit down away from the computer and watch 30 min or an hour of your favorite TV show, something that makes you laugh and will distract you for a little bit.
- Don’t eat or drink: Now to be clear, I’m not telling you to starve yourself. If you get home from work and you can choose between writing before or after dinner, always write before. When you eat, it immediately lowers your energy and ability to focus. So try to get some writing in before you eat.
Remember if you get stuck, avoid frustration and just give yourself a break. Sometimes that’s when the best ideas come up and you will be back to writing in no time.