Writer’s Block Prevention League

Writer’s block makes the whole writing process seem nearly impossible. I know I can’t write about the fool proof way to prevent it. Sometimes life just happens. But here are some tips on how to keep writer’s block outside of your life from personal experience.

1. Keep a writing journal to go back to with all your ideas, no matter how seemingly insignificant, written down inside it.
2. Take a walk in nature
3. If you hate nature, take a walk in an environment that you do like. Try not to stay cooped up in one environment too long though. Creativity needs room to breathe.
4. Don’t compare yourself to other writers. It will only discourage you.
5. You can admire writers though. Perfectly acceptable to have literary heroes.
6. Treat yourself kindly. You can’t write well if you’re working yourself to sickness and exhaustion.
7. If you need a mental health day, take one. If you need somebody to talk to, find them.
8. Take up something relaxing to do outside of writing. Maybe set a goal to go for a run each morning. Or try your hand at arts and crafts.
9. Don’t treat writing like a job. If you feel forced to do it, you’re not going to want to do it.
10. Call up a friend or loved one. (bonus is that you can get some good tidbits on future character dialogue from everyday conversations.)
11. Give yourself a writing goal starting from something small. One word to describe a setting. Then a sentence. Then a paragraph from a prompt. You get the idea.
12. Join a writing class. You can always learn something new from other writers.
13. Read a book. Readers read. Writers write and read.
14. Look at your old writing, the kind you put on the slush pile. It might motivate you to see how far your writing has come since then.
15. Listen to motivational TED talks. They really are quite enlightening.

And that’s all, folks! I wish you all the happiness on your writing journeys.