It may sound clichéd, but one of the ways I get over writer’s block is simply to write. I know you’re probably thinking this is a copout on a difficult subject, but bear with me for a moment while I explain.
If I’m stuck at some point in a novel, wondering how to write what happens next, I stew over it for a while, and if nothing comes of that, I sit down at the computer and start writing anything I can think of. This could be nonsensical gibberish, a description of the scene outside my window, or a news report that has angered me—anything so long as it has nothing whatsoever to do with the novel I’m working on. The process of writing without the pressure of having to create some clever part of a story can jump start things, and it almost always seems to work.
I also practice meditation, which sometimes helps me unblock. Meditation is not, as some mistakenly believe, a mystical or difficult thing to learn. A Google search will produce dozens, if not hundreds of methods to choose from, and I am certainly not qualified to teach the practice. But I can explain what I do, which is pretty simple.
I first try to find a quiet spot where I can sit comfortably without distraction, and I begin by concentrating on my breathing until it is deep and steady. Then I repeat a mantra over and over for about 20 minutes. My mind wanders, and whenever I realize this, I return to thinking about my mantra. I was told that a mantra could be any word or short phrase I chose, and mine is a sort of nonsensical combination of letters suggested by the friend who first instructed me. Repeating a mantra works kind of like when you are trying hard to remember something and can’t until you stop trying. Then, while you’re thinking about something else, the thing you were trying to remember suddenly pops into your mind, seemingly out of nowhere.
Another method I use is something I discovered accidentally. I was working on my second novel, when a good friend wrote to ask how things were going. I began my reply by admitting I was stuck, then went on to explain where I was in the story and where I had originally planned to go from there. After writing about 500 words of explanation, I realized I was actually fleshing out the plot and answering many of the questions that had stopped me in my tracks. That reply was far too long to bore my friend with, so I did some editing and sent him a brief synopsis of what I had written. But before I did this, I saved the longer version, and when I went back to work on the novel, I was able to pick up where I’d left off, following the roadmap I’d developed while composing the answer to my friend’s question.
The most important thing about dealing with writer’s block is to not start thinking it will last forever, because that kind of despair will only serve to exacerbate the problem. I’ve known dozens of writers personally, and I have never run across a single one who came down with a terminal case of writer’s block. Nor have I ever heard of a successful or famous writer whose career ended for that reason.
As with hiccups, there are many different suggested remedies for overcoming writer’s block, some of which (like mine) might sound silly or bizarre to the average person. What works for one may not work for another, but eventually you will figure it out, especially if you understand that it won’t last forever.
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