Overcoming writer’s block

WRITER’S block is a term that is used to describe the debilitating brain fog that can seep into your mind sometimes, obscuring your creativity and clouding your thoughts. The sense of panic and frustration it engenders just makes the situation worse and it’s easy to convince yourself that the muse has deserted you and you will never write again. So, what can you do about it? I’ve been a commercial writer for the last 30 years. I write most days of my life either for work or for pleasure. Some days the words flow easily as though someone is dictating them to me from on high. I hear them in my head before I write them down and it feels like I am a passive participant in the creative process. On these days everything comes together and the writing feels easy. There are other days, however, when the words get stuck somewhere between my thoughts and my fingers. I might have a sense of what I want to write but everything just sounds wrong. I find myself deleting and redoing paragraphs. Things that I normally do quickly seem to take forever. On these days, if I can, I take myself away from my computer for a bit. I maybe go for a walk or take myself off to the café. Or even have a bath. The secret is to stop thinking and angsting about what I’m trying to write. Often I find when I go back to my computer my mind has cleared. If you’re experiencing ongoing writer’s block try finding a way to get yourself into a state of flow before you sit down to write. And, if you can, make it matter less. Don’t tell yourself that today’s the day you’re going to write a masterpiece. Instead try telling yourself you’re just going to make a few notes today. Always keep your reader in mind. Who are they? What do they look like? What are their interests? What would inspire them? Talk to them. l When not working in Reconnect Towers, Kate write all types of content for businesses and individuals, including press releases, articles, websites and blogs. Kate also offers copywriting, one-to-one mentoring and e-books for writers. For more information visit: www.cafecopywriter.com or call 07970 107123.