Recovering from writer’s block

Let’s see a show of hands:  Who among us has ever gone through a writer’s block?

It may be hard to admit, but I think most writers have had a dry spell or two in their careers. We like to think we are brimming with creative energies that can be called forth at will, but often that is not the case.

I recently managed to lose some of my writing steam. It’s hard for me to imagine, since writing has been my lifelong sidekick no matter how I was feeling or what I was going through. That devotion to the written word has saddled me with suitcases filled with  old journals and notebooks and little napkins covered in scribbly love poems and introspective prose. Writing has been my way of reflecting life and all of its fluctuating moments. And, as a professional writer, it is the very thing that helps me earn a living.

So, when life threw me and my family a twisty little curve ball in the form of a serious family medical crisis a few weeks ago, it sort of took the wind out of my creative sails.

[pullquote]Writing is easy:  All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.  ~Gene Fowler[/pullquote]

Many very successful writers have suffered writer’s block for one reason or another. Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, J.K. Rowling … Eminem (ahem!). Some have offered solutions as well. Agatha Christie’s recommendation for kick-starting the imagination was to eat apples in the bath. Author Julia Cameron (“The Artist’s Way”) suggests “morning pages,” which I have done for years.

So I went searching for solutions, and came up with several lists, many which look pretty much the same. Here’s some ideas from Life Hack on how to overcome writer’s block:

1. Take a Break and Go Back to it Later

Go run that errand that needs to get done, make yourself a cup of coffee, watch a television show, go for a run — do anything that takes your mind off writing for a short while…

2. Try Writing in a New Place

A simple change of scenery can work wonders…

3. Write About Something Else

Sometimes just writing about anything that inspires you will help you when it comes times to write about what you need to write about…

4. Figure Out When You Write Best

… Pay attention to yourself and find out when you write best, and when you find it more of a struggle…

5. Use Mind Mapping

Write down everything you want to say about a particular topic, or all of your topic ideas.  To come up with a unique angle for a story, link together your most unusual ideas…

(for the complete article visit http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/10-ways-to-combat-writers-block.html)

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And, here’s one that wasn’t on the list but that I’ve seen advised over and over again:

Keep writing.  Every day.

So, I decided to write about this because, A). It got me writing on this blog again, (yay!), and B). I’d love to hear from other writers who have had a block and learn about the ways you have gotten around or through it, in spite of all of life’s little curve balls.

If you’ve got any advice or insights to share, please share here!

Thanks for visiting Murphy Writes.