Step back, do yoga, shower, do the dishes (ugh, worst part about writer's block, IMHO), do anything different so that my mind can work in the background and hopefully figure out a way to continue.
Or just start writing again.
Or take your own advice, Genn, and write a kissing scene. ;) Yay!
I feel you. I've been in a slump all week. Maybe it's your mind saying you need to take a break. I think what Kathryn says is true. We need to both step back and keep our nose to the grindstone.
I turn to some other creative pursuit...jewelry making, knitting, cooking. I find that firing up a different part of my brain frees the writing center in my mind to start churning again.
And if that doesn't work, a shower. A long, hot, water-wasting shower.
Another thing that really works is changing up your routine. As a creature of habit, this terrifies me, but I read a study or a paper on how switching up the littlest thing (like taking a different route somewhere) forces your mind to actively work at seeing something mundane as new again. Give it a shot! :)
Take a long walk with your headphones on and just listen to some music that inspired you--and some new music too. Read a great book you've been meaning to pick up. Watch a series with good writing, like Mad Men, and think about all the different directions the arcs could have gone. Good luck! :)
there's something about doing a tactile activity that let's my muse muster up some new words for me when I return to writing.
And if that fails, I take my colored pens and graph paper and brainstorm. I like to write on graph paper because it doesn't feel like a commitment, I can write diagnally, sideways, whatever. And the different colored pens are to write the variety of ideas I come up with.
Step back, do yoga, shower, do the dishes (ugh, worst part about writer's block, IMHO), do anything different so that my mind can work in the background and hopefully figure out a way to continue.
ReplyDeleteOr just start writing again.
Or take your own advice, Genn, and write a kissing scene. ;) Yay!
I feel you. I've been in a slump all week. Maybe it's your mind saying you need to take a break. I think what Kathryn says is true. We need to both step back and keep our nose to the grindstone.
ReplyDeleteGood luck kicking its butt (I know you will)!
I turn to some other creative pursuit...jewelry making, knitting, cooking. I find that firing up a different part of my brain frees the writing center in my mind to start churning again.
ReplyDeleteAnd if that doesn't work, a shower. A long, hot, water-wasting shower.
Good luck!
Another thing that really works is changing up your routine. As a creature of habit, this terrifies me, but I read a study or a paper on how switching up the littlest thing (like taking a different route somewhere) forces your mind to actively work at seeing something mundane as new again. Give it a shot! :)
ReplyDeleteTake a long walk with your headphones on and just listen to some music that inspired you--and some new music too. Read a great book you've been meaning to pick up. Watch a series with good writing, like Mad Men, and think about all the different directions the arcs could have gone. Good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteMy three go-to's:
ReplyDeleteA jigsaw puzzle
Legos
there's something about doing a tactile activity that let's my muse muster up some new words for me when I return to writing.
And if that fails, I take my colored pens and graph paper and brainstorm. I like to write on graph paper because it doesn't feel like a commitment, I can write diagnally, sideways, whatever. And the different colored pens are to write the variety of ideas I come up with.
Good luck!