Me and my friend Writer's Block know each other very well. We have been friends for years. What I love about my good friend Writer's Block is that they always turn up on my doorstep unexpectedly and they always out stay their welcome - ha ha! If only they would call me a few weeks ahead to tell me they are visiting or give me an indication of how long they are going to stay... Life would be so much easier - sigh.
Anyway, seeing as I have this great friendship with Writer's Block I thought I would list out the things which have helped me during their stay.
You may find these tips useful. For noting - my friend Writer's Block can stay for a few days or a few weeks, sometimes a month. As they are an inconsiderate guest they never let me know the length of their trip.
- Step away from the project. Time away from a project is good but it's not my favourite.
- Write something different. In my experience writing a blog post or recording a TikTok / Insta Reel always work.
- Visualise yourself writing. Keep the image of you at your desk / laptop writing in your mind and keep that image at the front of your mind. When you are travelling to work, when you are gardening, when you are in the pub, when you are about to go to bed - think of the image. Give it 2-3 days. This always works.
- Switch to writing dialogue only. This is something which I have been experimenting with and it has got a high success rate. You just write down what characters are saying. Forget scenery, descriptions or anything else. Just write the dialogue. It's actually quite liberating as well.
- Create a new playlist. This is one of my favourite tips. Even better when you go on the look out for new music.
- Exercise. For me Yoga is my go to when I have Writer's Block. I put myself through a number of tough sessions and voila I find the block subsides. I also believe Writer's Block is a build up of ideas, thoughts and negativity. These have to be released from the body in some way.
- Reading binge. This is very enjoyable but it can take awhile.
- Read a shelved story that you wrote years ago. This is a bit radical and comes with a heavy cringe level. You will notice how much you have improved as a writer and the cringe factor will get so bad you will rush back to your current project.
- Fill up the creative well. Watch films, read poetry, go to art exhibitions, listen to new podcasts or go to music concerts.
- Record the future you talking. This is radical but stay with me. Record yourself as if you are talking from the future. Congratulate yourself for working on that project and tell yourself that it worked out brilliantly. Make sure you say how proud you are of the old you for keeping going when things were tough. Play this back to yourself before you go to sleep.
Let me know how you get on and please do not tell Writer's Block to come and visit me - ha ha! I have just got rid of them 
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