Writer's Block

Have you ever muddled through "Writer's Block"? Yeah, me, too. That cursed bane of writers everywhere!

Why, oh why does it happen when the deadline clock is ticking? Tick, Tick, TICK! A walk to the kitchen for a glass of water doesn't help. The radio is definitely an incessant dribble of white noise.  Do you ask yourself, "where in the world did I lose my mind?" I know I do . . . at least I wonder about the portion where thoughts float freely on the wings of imagination.

Scouring the house for that elusive spark of genius, may produce spectacles, notebooks, or at least the patience lost earlier in the day (and I'm beginning to believe, there's a symbiotic relationship between patience and writer's block) which leads me to wonder if the author of "The Man In The Moon," from the beloved Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme may have suffered a bout before writing the line, "...and the cup ran away with the spoon." Hmm, there's hope in that thought:  imagination and creativity are everywhere. We just need to look beyond ourselves, maybe over the moon to find the portal of free thought.

How to Chip Away at #Writer's Block

1 - BELIEVE IN YOUR TALENTS - Negative thoughts are pure static to the voice of imagination. If we surround ourselves with a positive support team of authors and readers (those with similar talents who are interested in helping us reach our goals) then we open a channel for writing. Words soar in the right atmosphere.

2 - DEPRIVATION - In every day reality, it's to our advantage to follow the adage "H-A-L-T (never do anything when too Hungry, too Angry, too Lonely or too Tired)." As a writer, however, these moments may produce some of the best dialogue, descriptions or scenes we've ever written. Think of the poet with the broken heart, the songwriter filled with angst, a novelist reminiscing his/her childhood.

If it's a journalistic piece, it must take a neutral, objective position. If emotions are clouding the process, better to walk away and regroup. Bounce ideas off a trusted colleague. Write . . . edit . . . rewrite. . . or sleep on it. As an indie author, you may or may not have more flexibility in deadlines.

3 - WHEN "To-Do" STEALS YOUR "Ta-Dah" - Indie authors are discovering the post publishing to-dos: publicity packets, bios, press releases, query letters, public speaking addresses, social media, and blogs, to name a few. It's an often overlooked, yet, necessary part of publishing and marketing but the stress of wearing so many hats runs the risk of cutting off circulation to the brain.

What? You're not supposed to wear them all at once?  Huh. Well, that explains a lot!


Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40-year veteran of freelance writing and author of "BEGOTTEN: With Love."
Visit www.BEGOTTENtheBook.com
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