"What do you do when you've got writer's block???"
This is such a common thing I hear from writers. We all suffer from a lack of creativity or motivation every so often, and every writer wishes they knew how to get rid of it.
But guess what? I have the answer. I'm going to tell you it in a moment, but first I need to explain something to you:
I don't believe in writer's block.
Sure, I've had many times where my creative well has been dry or I simply do not know what to write or WANT to write. But I don't call that "writer's block".
Why? Because to me, writer's block has nothing to do with an inability to write because of a "block" and everything to do with trying to explain and, honestly, make an excuse for something that can be easily fixed.
That's right, I said "easilyfixed."
Because here's the thing: you don't have to suffer from writer's block. That "block" exists only in your head (unless of course there's a literal block preventing you from reaching a writing device, but then you have a much different problem), and beating it is a lot easier than you think.
Here's what you do.
First, stop believing in writer's block. If you imagine there's something stopping you from writing, guess what? You're going to feel as if something is in your way. If you convince yourself there is no crippling block you can't easily overcome, you won't suffer from it.
Second, find the actual problem. I find most often what inhibits my writing is one of two things: overworking my brain and staying still too long. If I ever find myself losing focus or lacking creativity, I first stop for a moment and just stretch and kind of "wake" myself back up. If that doesn't help, sometimes even just standing up and sitting back down does the trick. And if I really need a break, some physical exercise is the best of all. (It doesn't have to be fancy--even just a couple jumping jacks can help).
Did you know, there's an interesting fact that short periods of being active before a task improves how well you do at it? Often just doing something as simple as jogging for a few minutes freshens your mind and definitely increases your creativity/brainpower.
If the problem is more a lack of creativity, my biggest tip is ask questions, especially "what if" ones. Don't be afraid to go big; sometimes it takes a wild question to prove why the way you've done it is best, or to help find a better way to do it.
"What if this character dies?"
"What if she doesn't cross that bridge?"
"What if they aren't merciful?"
What if? So many times this question has led me to think outside the box and, consequently, better my story because of it. It also helps decrease my self-doubts when I wonder if I'm doing it the best way. If the "what ifs" don't produce a better outcome, then I know my idea is sound. :)
I hope this helps you in some way! Let me know what you think, and what your struggles and solutions are. I may dig more into this topic later, but for now, I want to hear your thoughts! Leave me a comment below about your biggest writing struggle; maybe I'll end up making a blog post about it.
