Creative individuals thrive on inspiration; it’s what makes our work and our craft so unique. We all have different levels of enthusiasm based on our daily activities and interactions. Whether morning sunshine gets you going, a smile from a stranger or that warm cup of coffee at your desk, you will always have days where motivation is easy to come by. There will also be days where you’re faced with a severe lack of incentive, the days where your brain is a collection of fumbling thoughts and life’s colors are simply grey and insipid.
When your brilliant mind is buried under a pile of dusty books, crumbled notebook pages and writer’s block, we want to help you push through. Greatness is ready to be leaked from your pen or keyboard. Breaking through that barrier can be tricky, but there are a number of ways to do so. Only a writer understands the true sickness of writer’s block, so let this article be your remedy when creating your next masterpiece, in whatever form it takes.
Read What Normally Wouldn’t Interest You
As humans, we love consistency. It shapes our day and adds comfort to our busy schedules. What we don’t realize is that these consistencies make it hard for us to step outside the box. This rings true with the media we consume. We read the same paper every morning, watch the same sitcom every night and check the same social media outlet before bed. By breaking away from these consistencies and expanding your pool of interests, you have the ability to learn new things and receive unique perspectives. Next time you go to read your favorite magazine, pick up something you’d never normally read and immerse yourself in it. New perspectives can motivate you to explore new boundaries and topics.
Go On a Mini Adventure
When your computer screen or notebook turns into your own worst enemy and hours have passed with nothing to show for it, it can be pretty difficult to generate logical thoughts — not-to-mention something you’d be happy to put your name on. Do your best to leave your lonely island disguised as a couch or desk and take to the street. Take a stroll through a new neighborhood, get some sand in your shoes or take a long bike ride. New adventures warrant experiences that can be transcribed for others to read, while providing the brain with fresh air and a fresh new page.
Relinquish Your Inner Editor and Just Write
Throw away the red pen. Think out loud and get those thoughts on paper. As writers, we tend to calculate our next sentence or string of words so carefully that we end up running our creative minds into dead ends. Never let a potential mistake get in the way of a creative though. Let the juices flow and allow your word vomit to take center stage. Write for ten minutes straight, without stopping. Put the rollercoaster of thoughts from pen to paper and see what comes from it. Proper grammar and editing skills are important, but when the pen has taken you hostage, it’s best to break the chains and just write.
Write For You, Not Your Readers
Although it’s important to always gear your content towards a specific audience or reader persona, sometimes writers just have to be selfish. By writing for our readers, we’re doing our best to cater towards their interests while serving the role as educator, informer, enthusiast, etc. Doing anything for an audience can be nerve-wrecking and the same goes with writing. Although we may be atop an invisible soapbox, with our words as the main character, it can be mentally draining to write specifically for an audience at peril to your own creativity. Dedicate your next session to writing something you want to write, based on the values you believe and your current mood. More often than not, your true colors and emotions will help beautiful words bleed through the paper.
Rewind & Reminisce or Press Fast Forward
Living in the present is a practice that is essential for staying level-headed, but it can never hurt to press rewind and fast-forward when looking for things to write about. Nostalgia can be a wonderful feeling, so flip through old photo albums, read old diary posts or even focus your energy on future goals and what the next few days bring. Your brain may begin to wander, but that can be a good thing. Your brain’s activity is based on your internal feelings, so let them flow and the creative juices will follow.
The truth of the matter is, we all experience writers block and no matter what creative poison you gravitates towards, there’s plenty of ways to work through your lack of thought and inspire your next insightful creation.
