Writer’s Block: How to Push Through the Blah

Fall might be the season of change, but it is also the beginning of a period of hibernation for many creatures great and small. While us lowly humans don’t get that long winter’s rest that some critters enjoy, we do enter a quieter time. I often find myself more reflective as the year comes to an end. My thoughts drift to days gone by and I dwell on the year in passing. I slow down. Pause. And sometimes. Get hit with that most inopportune of things for a writer—writer’s block.

I am not quite there just yet though.

We are only a few days into Autumn so far. While I am desperately trying to cling to all that summer fun, my brain seems to still be on vacation. Sure, on the outside I might look inspired—canning, cleaning and decluttering—but as far as my writing goes, it feels like a hard push to craft anything creative.

In professional circles, this is labelled as the dreaded WRITER’S BLOCK.

Writer’s Block

Now, don’t get me wrong! I have still been typing away at my laptop on a daily basis. Client’s needs have to be met and my muse is still capable of conjuring interesting articles that are blog-worthy for them. When it comes time to tickle a tanka or scribe a sonnet, I am sadly at a loss though. What gives?!

Maybe it’s time I turned to some solid writing advice. Advice I feel like I have offered other writers before, but now need a dose of myself. Yup, time to drudge up a list and see if it might get my creative juices flowing once more.

Lists are handy to turn to when you are bereft of inspiration, and can be a life-saver when faced with a deadline. In fact, the humble list is capable of holding readers interest for longer than many other posts, or so I’ve been told.

I can believe it.

Without further adieu then, my suggestion to others who might be suffering a similar fate to mine are thus;

SUGGESTIONS TO SIDESWIPE WRITER’S BLOCK

• brainstorm for ideas on topics of interest or that you have knowledge on
• make a list, a cloud, or an anagram of those ideas (the more potential topics to choose from the better!)
• find a meme for inspiration when the page still looks blank
• scan the headlines for what’s hot in the world today
• go back into your archives to see what topics were popular & revisit them
• walk away from the page and get inspiration from the street (a little fresh air can do wonders for a stifled brain)
• choose a different location to write in for a time (hit the coffee shop, library, or maybe even a museum)