Writer’s block. Ugh. *Shudder*. Even the words send a shiver of fear into the most hardy of authors. There isn’t a writer out there who has not experienced that dreaded moment when your brain fogs over and your fingers freeze. We all get it, but what can we do about it?
When I’m writing the first draft of a new novel (which I am – it’s novel number five, since you asked), and I hit the dreaded wall of writer’s block, there are a few things I try.
1. I take a shower. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: warm water lubricates the brain (you thought that was going somewhere ruder, admit it). It seems to loosen the creative muscle and get thoughts flowing succinctly again.
2. I go for a walk. Removing oneself from the desk and laptop and getting a bit of fresh air seems to reset the cogs. I find that when I return to my story I see it all a little more clearly.
3. I drink. No, not excessively (and actually not always alcohol). A cup of tea seems to help me focus, and a glass of wine or rum or brandy, or whatever, releases creative ideas previously locked away.
4. I stop writing. Seriously. I give up for a couple of weeks. Coming back to it I am suddenly a reader rather than a writer and I see the story with new eyes, mistakes and all.
5. I write a short story for a friend. This is my favourite and it always works! Amongst other things, I’ve written an alternative ending to the BBC series of The Musketeers for a friend who’s a big fan of the show, and a new series of BBC’s Merlin for another chum who was missing the programme after it ended. I write them as gifts and make the friend in question a leading character. They’re full novellas but I don’t have to worry too much about editing them perfectly or making them ‘publisher ready’, so they’re relatively quick and fun to write and they seem to free up the process of writing for me. When I return to my ‘real’ novel I find it all flows a lot more seamlessly. And, I earn HUGE bonus points with my friends, which is a real win-win!
Why not try one of these?
Anna Quicke, Author 