Wednesday, November 26, 2008

How to Overcome Writer's Block

Whether you're writing for fun, for profit, or for school, writer's block is one of the most annoying problems you're likely to encounter at some point. In this article, I'll share some ideas that I've found helpful.

1) One very common cause of writer's block is a lack of preparation.

If you're doing a nonfiction work, you may not have done enough research for your creativity to have enough information to work with. In fiction stories, I've found it's better to start with a general plot outline as opposed to just writing myself into a corner.

2) Take a look at the environment where you're attempting to write.

Is it dull and boring? Something I've found helpful is developing a home office that is creativity-friendly. An exciting and warm room will often provide more benefits than distractions. If needed, you may need to write on paper in a different setting and then type the report or story later.

3) If you have problems generating ideas in general, try keeping "brainstorming notebooks"--one by your bed, another in your car, and a third in your office.

A lot of times ideas will hit you in everyday life that won't occur to you while sitting down in front of a computer.

4) Don't try to force an idea--most likely it won't be as great as the one that hits you if you take a break for a few minutes.

Instead of getting frustrated, give the situation some time. Usually it will pay off for you, with the only exception being where you've procrastinated until the last minute.

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