When taking a break doesn't work, and if you have the time, put the writing aside and work on something else you need to finish that is not writing related. This works about the same as the suggestion above, but takes it a bit further by actually redirecting your thoughts to another activity. Later, you can come back to your writing and see if the thoughts flow a bit better.
Write something. Okay, so you're asking, "I have writer's block and you're telling to write something?" Sure. I mean, you don't have to write the piece that you are stuck, but write something. Jot down some personal notes, write anything that comes to your mind. If you do poetry, write a poem. If you blog, go write in your blog. If you subscribe to newsgroups, go post something. Answer some emails you've been putting off. What may be getting you stuck isn't the writing itself, but perhaps you are stuck on that one piece. If you can get yourself into the writing mode by writing something else, anything else, you might find that the writing will flow again when you go back to the piece on which you were stuck.
Make an outline. I'm not big on outlining stories or articles, myself, but sometimes when I get stuck and don't know where to go or how to start, making a brief outline of what I want to say, and then moving things on the outline around into some sort of order can help the writing flow by giving it a direction.
Write when you are tired. Write at the end of the day, when you are so exhausted that your mind isn't interfering with the flow. Don't worry about what you have written, or if there are typos or editing errors. You can come back and fix the errors later, when you are more refreshed. The point of breaking writer's block isn't to get you to write perfectly - it's to get you to write at all! Let it just flow from you naturally, and then come back in the morning or the next day when you are rested and then you can make it perfect.
Talk to someone about your writing. Call a friend or family member, chat with someone from one of your writer's groups. Tell them you are writing something but have become stuck and you need some inspiration, and then, let them inspire you!
Do some research. This falls into the same line as reading about your topic, but takes it a step further. Call some friends, ask them questions about your topic. Post some questions in your blog, get some feedback. When you are confident you know a lot about your topic, writing becomes so much easier. Fill your mind with so much information about your selected topic that you are just bursting from too much information and you just HAVE to write about it.
Lastly, write about having writer's block. Seriously! Write about why you feel stuck. What is it that seems to be keeping you from writing? Free associate and write about it. When you get down to the reasons why you have writer's block, you can address them and correct them.
Apr 30, 2009 Rating
Move on by: bARBARA
Change the station, go for a walk, take a nap or hold a cat in your lap. Meditate, get up and dance, go out for ice cream get out of the trance.
Ok I have note books all over the house and in my car. I try not to fret over trying to stay on the subject. I write down my random thoughts, doodle, draw wherever the pen, pencil or crayon goes I follow. I find that playing with my dogs is a good way to stop that obsession with writing.
And while I am lying on the ground exhausted from the laughter I have this ahah moment. Gotta go I just came up with something good : }.
