I know we have talked numerous times about writer’s block, but I love reading everything I can about it because it is such a timeless issue with little to no immediate cure. This article published in Hendersonville Times-News feels longer than it actual is and, although there were some good nuggets of information, it was relatively similar to lots of the information I have blogged about or thought about in the past. But, it never hurts to revisit good advice. The article highlights some of the best ideas around writers block from some academics/writers who are well versed in the area, like Justin Arnold who is quoted from his book as saying:
“In many cases the reason for the block is a physiological one. If you haven’t slept well recently, or you haven’t eaten for a while, (or) . . . you’ve been worried about a family member in the hospital, then your mind is hardly going to be firing on all cylinders. There’s no doubt at all that writing demands concentration, and concentration demands energy. Without enough sleep, food, and drink you cannot expect to perform as well as you would like.
Rather than thinking about spending 30 minutes writing, try a target of 400 words. By having a manageable and achievable target which is based on the number of words . . . you are much more likely to find that you make productive progress. By having a daily word count target, you also can more accurately schedule how long it will take to complete your writing task.”
Another tip from Justin that is really my favorite- freely writing unhindered by constant editing is often a solution to writers block.
I think at the end of the day, we all know what we need to do, just keep writing! 😉