Hello everyone!
It's been a while; I think I am going to limit my blog posts to once or twice monthly. The editing of the final book is taking up most of my time these days :) Though I have been busy, I wanted to share some tips and tricks of how to deal with some writers block!
5 Minute Rule-- I think everyone knows this one. My whole family is made up of nothing but procrastinators & blocked artists. One thing that helps especially me, even when I can think of nothing, is to set a timer for five minutes & open a blank word document or writing
app & write whatever I'm thinking. Even if it's complete nonsense, it helps to get the engine running. It also helps to keep your goals realistic so you aren't thinking about how you have to finish a big book or script in the moment. For example, last time I did this I wrote over 1,000 words about a pigeon's adventure on the beach. It was complete and utter garbage & BUT it helped me to keep writing & I wrote half a chapter of Zelina: The Third Glyph. Once the timer goes off, you'll realize how much you have actually written & you'll have some crappy ideas & some great ones!
Take naps/read other books. It sounds weird but it really works. Sometimes when I am overwhelmed by trying to think of new ideas while editing & writing I do the funnest thing which is taking a nap. Just going into my room, pulling down my black out curtains, & peacing out on the world for 2-3 . I usually wake up either groggy or more awake but either way: the ideas flow, even if they're bad. Additionally, when I feel super blocked to the point where I can't write anything, I go read something else. Taking inspiration from other authors & reading new stories can sometimes spark ideas into your own story. Now don't steal their stuff but let them inspire you!
Go outside. Seriously though- go outside. We spend most of our day on a variety of screens,
go take a small walk, sunbathe, or go swimming for an hour. Speaking out of experience, it helps my brain calm down & I can have better and clearer ideas. One of my favorite new pastimes, as you all know, has been gardening. I have grown some cabbage, tomatoes, chili peppers, carrots, blueberries, and potatoes. But best of all - I got one of these bad boys to grow:
<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-
Yes! It's a baby strawberry đ It's so tiny & cute. I'm going to save the seeds & replant some more. I eat strawberries on a daily basis so to have some grow in my own backyard is amazing! Just spending even a few minutes outside helps me to relax myself & my head. Going outside helps me to loosen my brain up & get the juices flowing, even if it's only 10 steps away from my computer. Typically by the next morning, I will be writing or editing whole chapters.
There is some more research out there about writers block & how to get around it or work through it but this is what I use. I reccomend my own methods but I also reccomend you check out other authors' solutions & read up on it. What works for one person might not work for another but let me just say napping is always fun. Last piece of advice though: don't beat yourself up about it. Give yourself plenty of breaks and be nice to yourself. It literally happens to everyone. Give it time & relax, it will come back. đ