Manic Monday: 10 Ways to Break the Block...

Hello My Happy People,

I'm in bed today. I'm not sick, just exhausted. I have been running at top speed doing everything seven days a week for so long now and I just finally hit the wall. I think I have been trying for too long to push through and force my writing. I've been working on "book stuff" every single day for years now, not even taking weekends off, often working until 2 or 3 or even 4 am and I am just worn out. I think it will do me a lot of good to take some time off.

The issues I have been having with my own writing gave me an idea for this blog so if you are a writer who is having your own writing issues, I hope this helps.

10 Ideas for Breaking Writer's Block

1. Walk away, literally.

Get up and walk away from your project. Go outside, get some fresh air, go get a coffee.

Basically, take a break. Get your mind off your project and just enjoy some fresh air.

2. Read a book.

Reading something outside of your project. Sometimes reading your favorite authors

can jump start your own creativity.

3. Dance it off.

Getting up and getting moving can relieve stress and relieving can help open up

creativity. Doing yoga, lifting weights, anything physical can help.

4. Try a writer's group.

Going along with relieving stress, take a break and connect with other writers. Having

social interactions where you can bounce story ideas off other writers can help open up

your creativity. Plus, getting constructive feedback can help you view your blocks from a

different perspective

5. Push through.

Just write. Whatever you are working on, just write something, even if it's all crap and

you end up throwing it out later, sometimes writing anything will break through your

barriers and get your creativity flowing again.

6. Reread your project from the start.

If you are working on the last book in a series, reread the series from the start. Diving

back into the world you created from the beginning can sometimes get you back on

track and help kick the storyline back into gear for you to bring the story to a close.

7. Try a writing prompt.

Sometimes writing anything, no matter what it is can help get you back in the right

mindset. There are loads of sites online with writing prompts for every genre. Or you

can check out our writing prompt challenge on our podcast pages (links below). You

could even win a prize with our prompts.

8. Try some writing tools.

You can find al kinds of writing tools online. Everything from plot generators to character

name lists. Sometimes these tools can give you ideas that get you to start thinking

outside of your box.

9. Reach out to your readers

If you have a core following who has read your books, take a poll and ask them where

they hope you will take your story in the next book. Their ideas might give you a new

direction you had never even considered and refresh your entire outlook on your

fictional world.

10. Write something else

Don't have a set publication date for your current project_ Set it aside for awhile and write something different. Writing a romance? Try a writing a cozy mystery. Writing historical fiction? Try writing Sci-Fi. Creating a new world might give you new ideas for your old one.

Bonus suggestion:

Don't give up on your work. You got this! Just because you might need a break to recharge your creative batteries does not mean you can't or won't finish your project. You can be determined and driven and still need a break once in a while. It's all perfectly human. Just take some time to regroup and then get back to it!

Now why not go check out our podcast episodes and our writing prompt challenge. They might give you some new ideas too.

Have a great week,

Dianne

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