Writers’ Tips

Feeling at a loss for direction? Everybody else is writing something and you want to but just can’t get started? Looking at the page and keyboard or paper and pencil and thinking I can’t do this, until you turn away and feel an itch to write?

I prefer not to label this as writers’ block, though some folks do. I prefer to simply notice it, and turn to my journal pages. Which by the way are not all labeled journal. There’s a section I can AFD pages – Anxiety, Frustration and Despair. This sums up my feelings of ‘I can’t write’ and often after I admit to myself that is where my hesitation is coming from, writing gets easier.

Exploring the AFD also gives me a chance to vent some of those feelings as well as locate the source, and consider alternative ways to resolve them, if possible. Admittedly there are some issues I can’t resolve, and those I have to commend over to a Higher Power, or someone else. But at least I can do an attitude change that permits me to proceed.

Another way to look at this would be to realize that there are some things in our lives that interfere with writing. Being hungry. Getting over tired. Having a fight with someone. Having too much on your plate – too many times you’ve said yes and more than one human can possibly do. Getting or being sick. No time available. No convenient place to write.

If any of these are interfering with your writing, it’s time to take action – a small action, but action. First, a tall glass of water, followed by sitting and looking out the window – see the trees, animals, people outside for a short while. Then, go to your writing space – or begin to make one – and write about what’s stopping you. What is it that making it difficult to write? You can write, you’ve already proven that, but this is a ‘right now’ temporary setback that can be managed.

After you have written about the issues, you may want to take a break, stop for the day, or you may be ready to star the biggest or easiest one or two, and begin considering how you can work with that. Later you can work on the others, one by one – and some will actually dissolve over time.