Sucks bigtime that I haven’t updated my blog in a week now. It’s not that I’m lazy, but with the busy schedule I have (projects in school keep piling up.. boo), today would be the only time for me to really concentrate and write.
But I don’t have anything to write about. Uh-Oh.
I surfed the net for tips on writing- not merely writing – but getting yourself inspired to write. Honestly, aside from being busy to write, we all get into what is lovingly called the Writer’s Block. Let me share a few tips I’ve read recently that I feel is working for me.
I’m sure everybody can learn a thing or two about getting out of “the writer’s block”.
Do something else. Instead of writing, get out of the house and take a walk. I think they call this incubation. When you need a solution for a problem (this being you don’t have anything to write!), it’s recommended to get out of your head for a while, and forget anything related to that problem. Usually, during the course of “doing something else”, the solution pops into your head, making you shout “Eureka!!!”.
Get a newspaper or a magazine and start reading. Get inspiration from reading other people’s point of view, and whether you agree with them or take a contrary stand, write about it. Read, read, read.
Force yourself to write. How? You can either follow Hemingway and sit down in front of your monitor for an hour a day at the same time, or you can cut of small pieces of paper, write a single word on it (name of a place, event, person, an adjective, an adverb just make sure it’s a word). Put it in a small box and every time you can’t think of anything to write, pick 1 piece of paper and that word you chose? Write about it. Let your imagination run wild.
Now if these tips don’t motivate you enough, paste a copy of your credit card statements or bills on the side of your monitor (assuming you’re writing for a living), and I’m sure you’ll agree that is ENOUGH motivation! 🙂
Writer’s Block truly does suck. All three of your tips are great. I would recommend only using the first two if you are currently in the middle of a project though. Otherwise it could end up being another diversion from actual writing time. I know I’m guilty of that. Last summer I saw Neil Gaiman speak, and he said to try and have more than one thing to work on at a time. That way, if you get stuck on one, you could go on to your other project and still feel like you’re getting work done. He also said he got “stuck” on one story for almost a decade before completing it. I believe that story was Coraline. It’s due out in theaters soon.
In any case, good luck finding the time to overcome your own writer’s block.
A few of my teachers would make me do this, and I found that it helped too. Do a freewrite. Just sit down on the computer or with a pen and paper. Start writing and DON’T stop. Even if it means that you keep writing the same word over and over again. Often times, after I do this, I find that I now have something to write about.
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Good points.. because that’s pretty much where i’m at.. like i’ve said everyday is soo not interesting. I’ve actually picked up some books at the library to read something just great! Well again thanks for the points. Nice blog. Have a nice day =)
Good inputs, thanks a lot..
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