Tragedy Strikes! You Have Writer's Block

     If you've never experienced writers block, you're lying. Or, you're a very special individual and I'm jealous of you. Either way, it's a disease that eats away at you until you force yourself to do something about it or magically manage to recover.

    There are many things that may cause writer's block: you just finished a scene and don't know where to go next, you're overwhelmed with ideas that you don't know where to start, or you've been working so hard on other things that you're to mentally drained to even think about sitting down and writing. There are probably other reasons you may be feeling uninspired, but these are the ones that I find often happen to me. 

    If we're being completely honest, the best way to deal with writers block is to just wait for it to past. Sometimes if you actively try to overcome it, it'll just make it worse. In my experience, the best way to overcome writers block is to try not to worry about it and focus on self care. Making sure you're healthy can help spark your creativity or inspirations. I like to go on runs, do yoga, and even binge-watch my favorite t.v. shows. It helps to destress when I'm overworked, and usually motivates me to start writing again.

    If you're not so willing to wait it our, or maybe you have a deadline coming up, there are ways to power through. To help re-inspire myself, I'll sometimes listen to music while writing. Having a tune playing in the background can influence the mood of whatever you're writing, adding passion to your words. Even if you don't have a solid plan, the flow of the music can take your writing somewhere you never expected. It also serves as a good exercise to help start something new. If you write about whatever you're listening to, it could spark a brand new story. 

    Another power-through tactic is to start reading. Close the computer, put down your pencil, and open up a book. Not only does reading teach you different styles, it can also inspire whatever you may be working on. When you read something absolutely amazing, if you're an ultra nerd like me, it'll excite you and make you want to create something just as beautiful. 

    My last tip is to refer back to your outline. If you're stuck, write about whatever your outline says your should be writing about. Even if you hate whatever it is that you're writing, at least you have words on the paper that you can always come back to and make better. Sometimes, just getting started can reignite that lost motivation.

    Ultimately, writers block is nothing to be ashamed of. It truly happens to the best of us, and it won't last forever. Think of it as a speed bump. Once you get over it, it'll be smooth sailing once more.

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