So you’re staring at your computer. You’ve got something to write, and it has to be creative, concise, and completely free of questionable grammar. Yet emails are coming in, your co-workers are (politely) interrupting you, and worst of all, you’re just not feeling that artistic edge. Bit of a conundrum.
Here are five useful tactics to combat writer's block:
Do your most important or creative writing early to mid morning. Your recent caffeine fix will have you fresh, yet your tummy won’t be growling for lunch. Your brain won’t be overtaken with that mid-late afternoon haze that sometimes arrives abruptly, and the stress that your to-do list for the day is growing rather than shrinking.
Close your e-mail and web browser. The devil is in the distractions.
If something work-related is bothering you, deal with it first; otherwise it could hinder your creative genius.
When you are stumbling for the rights words, don’t be afraid to use the thesaurus, idiom finder, quotes or your co-workers’ brains. Or type a few keywords into good ol’ Google, because you just never know what lyrical goodness she could provide.
Last but definitely not least – come back to it later. I know as writers, we don’t always have that luxury, but if you are staring at your screen for more than five minutes without typing a word and time is on your side, a new headspace at a later time may provide a better perspective. Many a time I have fought to write something when I’m not feeling it, and other times it flows as nicely as a full-bodied red going down my esophagus. Temporarily give up the fight and come back later with your punching gloves on, ready to take down that wall.
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