Tips and Truths with A.A.C. - Writer's Block

By Melissa Cobb

Oh writer’s block. We know it all too well, don’t we? Staring at a blank page in a notebook or on a computer, fingers poised to type or pen at the ready, and you’re just waiting for those brilliant pieces of prose to start flowing on the page like every inspirational cliché you have ever heard in your life and…

Nothing. Nada. No matter what, you have no inspiration, and there is nothing you can do about it. Notice a trend here?

On that note, while there is no way to cure writer’s block as it is unfortunately a part of life, there are ways to combat it. These are some ways that worked for me, and perhaps you will find them helpful as well.

1. Take a break. No, really, I am being serious. Take a break! If your brain feels like it is turning into banana pudding that’s been left in the fridge for a week, or you just feel distracted (oh look, a giant hamster!), you need to take a breather. Go outside for a walk, or listen to some calming music. Read a book. Do some yoga. Whatever relaxes you and gets your mind off your work, do it for at least ten minutes. You brain will thank you for it by making you much more productive when you come back to your writing.


2. Can’t figure out where the plot is going? For this problem, it’s a good idea to write out what has happened in your story so far, and then ask yourself what could happen next, or where you want your story to end up. Writing a summary of what’s happened up to this point will help you focus on the important plot points of your story, and it will help you focus on how you can keep your story going or how you can bring it to a satisfying conclusion.


3. Add another character. If you feel like your main character of your story is going nowhere, try adding another person for him or her to interact with. It can be an antagonist, a best friend, his or her mom--whatever works for your story. Having your character interact with someone else can help bring out qualities in him or her that you might not have discovered otherwise, and can help move the plot of your story along.


4. Last, if you are feeling really stuck and none of the above strategies are working for you, talk to someone you know is a creative writer, be it a teacher or best friend or anyone else you think will help you. Talking it out with someone you trust and getting another perspective can help you see your story in a new light. Also, if you are a beginning writer, it is good to have someone with lots of experience whom you can talk to when you are running low on inspiration.

Happy writing!

A.A.C.'s Truth of the Week:  Donald Duck was banned in Finland for not wearing pants.