Overcome Writer's Block

Do you ever experience writer’s block? If you’re a writer, I don’t think you can avoid it, but how do you overcome the brick wall that keeps you from your muse?

One way is to start a new document (so you don’t mess with the good one) and take the scene you were struggling with. Now, do your best to make this scene the worst scene you’ve ever written. Destroy it. Add all the adverbs you want. Make your characters one dimensional. Have floating body parts and talking heads. Dump all kinds of info and backstory. Get all that bad writing out of your system. Now, read it. Laugh. And realize no matter what you write afterwards won’t be nearly as bad as this. Sometimes what’s blocking you is a little thing called perfectionism. Give yourself permission to make mistakes and realize it takes a lot of effort to really create a writing disaster. While you’ll most likely have to tweak your work after you write, at least you’ve grown as a writer. Just think. If you know enough to purposely ruin a good scene, then you have the knowledge to fix it, too.

Other ways to overcome writer’s block are:

-take time away from writing
-remove yourself from your desk and go for a walk
-switch to a different computer or to a notepad
-change the font you’re writing with
-recite the scene into a digital recorder and play it back to see if it works
-brainstorm with other writers
-edit a different scene or project
-take a nap
-jump into the shower
-grab a cup of coffee
-write a letter to your character about how frustrated you are with him
-have your character write you a letter to you about what he’d like to do in the scene instead of what you’re telling him to do

Do you have any other ideas on how a writer can overcome writer’s block?

Unfortunately, finding your lost muse doesn’t mean you’ll write the perfect manuscript, but it’ll get you writing again. Worry about the editing later.

By the way, my follower contest is now closed. I’ll announce the winners this week.