Looking to solve writer’s block? Here’s how: you’re just not allowed to have it.
The words are there, you just might have to set them free.
What if your surgeon said, in the middle of the surgery, “I just have surgeon’s block today. I can’t finish.”*
Hopefully there’d be another surgeon around to finish it up or at least sew you back together.
*The inspiration from this comes from Joanna Penn’s interview with Michaelbrent Collings (How To Write Faster And Never Get Writer’s Block With Michaelbrent Collings).
Other cures for (so-called) writer’s block:
- Just write.
- Write garbage (at least you’re writing).
- Tell a friend (or neighbor, dog, DMV clerk, etc.) where you’re struggling. See what they say.
- Make up the worst possible next scene. Make it so bad that anything else you write will be an improvement. Repeat until it doesn’t suck.
- Get over it.
- Get over yourself. You’re not that important and someone wants to hear what’s going to happen next. If you stop now, they’re never going to know. That’s just plain mean. Be nice.
Michaelbrent had some more examples of different professions and their “blocks.” The cop who didn’t write you a ticket because he had “cop block.” What other professions could have blocks that just wouldn’t be allowed? I’m sure we could get a list going of just that and it would be a blast.
Then you, dear writer friend, would have to look yourself in the mirror, wipe away your (crocodile) tears and try to tell yourself that you really, truly, no honestly have writer’s block.
Then you’d sit your butt down and write.
Solved.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks