What to Do If You Encounter Writer's Block (another article from 2011)

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What to Do If You Encounter Writer's Block




So you've decided to become a writer, or perhaps you are already a writer.



Enthusiastic, about your decision you pull out your computer, word processor, notebook, or if you're really old fashioned, your dusty old type writer. You may however want to skip the type writer, as ink ribbons may be a little difficult to find these days.



However, whichever, method you've decided on, you know you want to be a writer so you pull up a blank page. As you look at the blank page, your mind suddenly goes blank, matching the blank page. This unexpected event takes you by shock, as you had decided to be a writer was your ultimate goal in life.



So you stare at the page, stare at the keyboard, or scribble with you pen. Stare out the window, or get up and pace the floor. This will never do, if you wish to become a writer you have to write. However, nothing comes to mind about what to write. So you begin searching for ideas.



Just how does one overcome writer's block quickly, and in time so a few dozen articles may be written coherently enough to merit acceptance by a magazine or an online content site, such as Associate Content, Constant Content, or some other content site. Acceptance of written article's means there will be pay coming to someone's account.



For the writer it is very important to write, and also to write well. A writer, who consistently misspells words, has poor grammar, and does not work to improve in these areas, will soon have more problems than just writer's block. There will be the problem of not getting anything that is submitted anywhere accepted.



If a writer cannot find a paying avenue, then their writing may become a personal hobby to do in the writer's spare time. Another avenue for income will quite soon be needed.



Now as you may have stumbled upon this article looking for ways to overcome your own personal "writer's block". You may be hoping there would be some suggestions for you within this article on what exactly to do, to work around the writer's block that is currently aggravating you.



Well for starters, you can possibly do what a number of my previous English teachers suggested. (I had so many different English teachers because of attending so many different schools in different states as a child). Um, back to what I started to say now, is this most if not all of my English teachers suggested that if you could not think of something to write was to write the same subject over and over again. Or the last words of your last sentence just write it over and over again.



However, this is not always helpful, also when I was in school I was not using a computer to write so this also took up a great deal of paper, it was a lot of wasted time in my personal opinion.



So instead of wasting a lot of time and effort, get up take a walk, stretch, catch up on some household chores, clean out the car, do some yard work, then take a nice hot shower or bath.



Make yourself a nice cup of hot tea, and take a deep breath, and know that you can write if you set your mind to it.



Now set your mind to writing, if you cannot immediately think of some article, the write some jingles or poems. If that does not help, then play with words take a word, and make a rhyme or riddle out of that word.



Next if your still not able to think of something go to various writers forums, and look for writing prompts, if you Google writer's prompts, you will find starter sentences. Sometimes all you really need to get started with an article or two is a starter sentence or a topic to expound on.



The more you write the easier it will become, some days you will face writer's block and nothing will really alleviate it, to prepare for these days, make a file of helpful writing prompts or starter sentences. Also keep a notebook handy as you go about your day, so any interesting phrase or remark you hear and want to remember you can make note of it. These phrases may become the topic or title of an article or even a book one of these days.



Don't fall into the trap of thinking you cannot write because you have a temporary writer's block, because you can overcome writers block sometimes all that is needed is a walk around the block.
Also never underestimate the power of a bit of exercise, daily exercise and fresh air will help stimulate the brain, including the creative areas needful for writing.