Let's diagnose and defeat writer's block!

Wikipedia defines writer’s block as “a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work.” However, I have come to believe that in most cases, writer’s block is a symptom, not a condition.

Before we can cure writer’s block, we have to diagnose it.

Writer’s block is almost always presented as some mysterious disease. A writer sits down to work and nothing happens. The ideas are gone. The words don’t come. It must be writer’s block!

At times, writers certainly lose their inspiration or face challenges that prevent them from working. I’m not saying we shouldn’t call this writer’s block. What I am saying is that in my experience, there’s usually some underlying cause, and it’s often something that’s easily remedied. Instead of blaming our inability to work on a vague condition, we can figure out what’s really preventing us from writing and fix the real problem.

Today, let’s dissect writer’s block and figure out what causes it. We’ll also explore some solutions for curing writer’s block, and I’ll share some writing tips that have helped me stay inspired.

What Causes Writer’s Block?

The true causes behind writer’s block are probably infinite. Each of us requires a different set of conditions to be productive and creative. Some writers can trudge through a draft when they’re tired while others will just stare at the blank page with an even blanker look on their faces. However, there are a few common causes that we can identify:

1. Physical ailments – If you’re sick, exhausted, hungry, or dealing with a headache, you might find it impossible to write. Allergies interfere with my ability to focus on anything, including writing, a few times a year. Whether you face these kinds of ailments occasionally or on a regular basis, it’s important to acknowledge the real problem and then look for a cure. That might mean taking a break so you can take care of yourself. I recently struggled with writer’s block because I had a nasty cold. I cured both my cold and writer’s block by drinking lots of hot water with lemon and honey.
2. Mental and emotional stress and distractions – It’s hard to concentrate when you’re in a bad mood, stressed out, depressed, or angry. In cases of a bad mood, a little positive thinking might pull you out of it. You can also use relaxation techniques to calm your anger or alleviate your stress. It’s normal to be depressed after any kind of loss or trauma, and these times may call for taking a hiatus from your creative work. If depression persists for more than a few weeks or months, it’s important to see a doctor.
3. Lazy days – Sometimes you just don’t want to write (or do much else, either). There’s a deadline looming but the sun is shining and the beach is calling. You swore you’d finish this chapter today but you’d rather take a nap. Technically, this probably shouldn’t be included on this list, because the problem isn’t that you’re blocked; you’re just feeling (or being) lazy. However, I know there are writers out there who use writer’s block as an excuse for being lazy. This is common when writers get burnt out and what they really need is either a break or a little motivation. Look for ways to get your energy levels up (eat healthy, nutritious meals and get plenty of exercise) and revisit your goals to regain your motivation.
4. The grass is greener – This is a close cousin to the lazy day. It’s not that you’d rather get some rest and relaxation. You’d just rather do anything in the world other than work on your writing project. In fact, you’d rather surf the web, organize your closet, or schedule a dentist appointment. You may even be seduced by a brilliant new idea that is tempting you away from whatever you’re supposed to be working on. The grass may look greener, but it’s not. The only cure here is sheer willpower. You can also use a reward system: get your work done and then treat yourself to a little something special.
5. Avoidance and procrastination – Sometimes we go out of our way to avoid a difficult writing challenge. It could be that we’ve gotten our characters into a sticky situation and can’t get them out of it or it could be a poem for which we just can’t seem to find the right rhythm. You might know, deep down inside, that you have to scrap some of your work or make heavy revisions to get yourself unstuck. Maybe you need to do some (boring or tedious) research. So, you just avoid it altogether. Instead of procrastinating, push yourself to face these obstacles head-on. You can also skip ahead and work on some other part of your project. If you’re truly stuck, then ask a friend to take a look and offer advice. Often, someone else can see a solution where we can’t because we’re just too close to our own work.

I’m sure there are many more causes for writer’s block. I’ve experiences all of these in varying degrees. As I’ve grown more experienced, I’ve learned that whether I need to take better care of myself, push harder to get things done, or face up to an undesirable challenge, writer’s block can be cured, and usually, it can be cured easily.

A Few, Final Writing Tips for Combating Writer’s Block

• Take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise, drink plenty of water. Schedule time for rest and relaxation. Don’t run yourself down.
• No matter what you’re working on, some other project or activity might sound more enticing. Try to see one project through before starting another and reward yourself when you push through something difficult or unpleasant.
• On the other hand, if you have two projects going, you can rotate back and forth to maintain your interest in both.
• Get advice from other writers. Often, they’ll see a solution where you see no way out.
• Sometimes, defeating writer’s block is just a matter of  getting inspired. Keep a running list of ideas and things that inspire you. Whenever you feel uninspired, this list will be there for you.

How Do You Handle Writer’s Block?

Do you believe in writer’s block? Is it a real condition or a symptom of some other problem? Is it possible to become uninspired for no reason whatsoever? Do you have any writing tips that would help other writers stay inspired and unblocked? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Writing tips from great thinkers and authors.

I love collecting little bits of wisdom from great writers, leaders, and thinkers.

For several years, I’ve been stockpiling quotes that inspire me. Some of them contain sage advice for life; others offer fresh perspectives on the world. Many hold what I consider to be excellent writing tips.

Consider the writer who yearns to write and publish a novel. He thinks about it, dreams about it, aches for it, but the task is daunting and there is so little time. It seems like an impossible dream, one that would take years, even decades to realize.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
― Lao Tzu

Whatever you want to write, it all starts by sitting down at your computer or with a notebook and pen and writing down that first word.

Life Advice for Writers

Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.
― Shel Silverstein

Whether we’re following our dreams or expressing our thoughts, feelings, and visions through our writing, we writers must summon the courage to put ourselves and our work, our beloved labor, in front of an audience that will judge it. It’s hard enough to be yourself in the conventional sense, let alone under a spotlight.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.
― Dr. Seuss

It all comes down to believing. We have to believe in ourselves and in the passion that drives us to write.

Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.
― Roald Dahl

On Writing as Work

How many years does a person spend reading and writing before becoming proficient enough to be published? How long does it take to learn how to tell a story, to get a handle on the rules of grammar, to compose vibrant prose and verse? We writers spend countless hours, hard at work, just for practice and experience. Thousands of pages pile up before we become publishable. But every word, every paragraph, and every line counts, even if nobody else reads it. Even if it never earns a penny.

Don’t be seduced into thinking that that which does not make a profit is without value.
― Arthur Miller

A writer’s work is never done. It’s an ongoing process of learning the craft, producing the work, polishing, submitting, editing, and publicizing. But some writers make it look easy.

There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.
― Ernest Hemingway

Once we turn our passion into a career, we might find ourselves under contract or employed by some publisher. The article is due at midnight. The first draft is due at the end of the month. And the edits were supposed be done yesterday!

I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.
― Douglas Adams

Writing Tips from Authors

It saddens me that so many writers avoid writing because they are terrified that their work won’t be original, won’t be critically acclaimed, or won’t even get published. We can worry about whether our book is too silly or too serious, too smart or too dumb, too literary or too commercial. But ultimately, we have to stop worrying and just write what is in our hearts and what’s haunting our minds.

You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.
― Madeleine L’Engle

They say that the truth is stranger than fiction, and fiction can hold more truth than reality.

Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgot.
― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 3: Dream Country

It cannot be said enough that the best way to become a good writer is to simply read as much as you possibly can. While reading will make you a better writer, it has countless other benefits.

Reading is the sole means by which we slip, involuntarily, often helplessly, into another’s skin, another’s voice, another’s soul.
― Joyce Carol Oates

What are some of your favorite quotes of wisdom? Have you picked up any helpful writing tips from authors you’ve admired? Share your best advice by leaving a comment, and keep writing!

All of the quotes featured in this article were found via Goodreads’ Quotes of the Day. Goodreads is a social media site for bookworms and writers. Be my friend on Goodreads!

A few good writing tips to keep you on your toes

Have you ever gotten stuck in a writing project, and just when your frustration reached its peak, you heard some bit of sage advice that helped you see how to move ahead?

There aren’t many writing problems that a few good writing tips can’t solve. Whether you need to develop your voice or use fewer clichés, quick tips can contain exactly the wisdom you need.

I keep a file of quotes by authors so that I can refer to their expertise when I need it. I also have several books, notebooks, and other documents filled with writing tips and techniques, and I like to review these every so often to see what I need to bring into my own work. In many cases, these tips are just quick reminders of all the lessons I’ve learned before. 

Good Writing Tips

As we develop our writing skills, we learn tons of concepts. From grammar to storytelling techniques, literary devices to poetry forms, there is so much to learn that one can become overwhelmed. A good list of writing tips summarizes complex lessons into digestible pieces of advice that keep you on toes lest you forget or neglect the guidelines for good writing. Here are some of my favorite tips and reminders:

• Find your best writing tools and spaces. Are you more creative when you wield a pen? Do you get more writing done at your computer? Does your imagination run wild at night or do you get your best work done in the morning hours? Would you rather curl up on the couch with your project or sit straight and alert at a table?
• Hold yourself accountable. When was the last time you actually wrote anything? Do you keep track? Do days go by before you realize you haven’t written a word or do months go by? Find a system to keep yourself on track.
• Embrace and develop your voice, the unique way that you string words and sentences together.
• Are you a writer or a storyteller? Writers know how to use their most important tools (grammar and language). Storytellers spin tales. You can be one or the other, or you can be both.
• Follow your heart. Don’t write for the market or for your friends and family. Figure out what makes your heart sing, then figure out how to translate that into a story, poem, or essay.
• Set some goals. In a decade or two, you can fill boxes of notebooks and journals or hard drive space, but to what purpose? What do you want to accomplish with your writing?
• Seek out your heroes. Which poems and stories move you? Whom do you admire? Which writers do you want to emulate? They are your mentors.
• Read like a fiend.
• Mix and mingle with other writers. They are your best support system.
• Make writing a priority. If you didn’t write anything today, review the day and figure out what you could have skipped in order to make time for writing.
• Mix your media. Good stories and poems are hiding everywhere. Writers often look to other writers for inspiration, but you can glean inspiration from musicians, filmmakers, painters, and other artists too. The Internet is jam-packed with sources of inspiration: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google image search are all good places to start.
• Stop trying to be original and just be yourself.
• Critique other writers’ work, but don’t judge other writers. Embrace critiques and reviews when someone bothers to take the time to issue feedback on your writing.
• Support the literary community. What kind of writer doesn’t buy books, leave positive reviews of stories they love, or retweet, share, and promote their fellow writers’ best work?
• Put it out there. Many writers struggle just to put their words in front of an audience. Start by sharing with trusted friends. Then, take a workshop. Join a writers’ group. Start submitting your work to literary journals. Then, give the world your book.
• Read what you want to write. If you want to write with great skill, then read writers who are skilled. Read in the genres and forms that you aspire to.
• But read beyond your genre and past your skill level. Don’t limit yourself to niches in your reading material.
• Be an active user of the dictionary and thesaurus. Become a fact checker. Use research and trusted resources to make sure your work is credible and accurate.
• Get to know your audience. There’s a difference between writing for the market and identifying your audience and writing for them.

Do little bits of writerly advice ever help you over a hurdle? Do you have any good writing tips to share? Are you stuck in your own writing slump? What has pulled you out of a slump in the past? Share your writing tips and experiences by leaving a comment.

Tips for writing a book

Writing a book is a big deal. It takes a lot of time and effort, especially if you want to do it right, which means creating something that people will find entertaining or useful and then polishing, marketing, and promoting it.

It all begins with an idea. A concept. It might start with a few characters or an intriguing plot you’ve dreamed up. It might start with an audience you want to write for or a topic you want to explore.

Many writers start writing as soon as an idea strikes. This approach works for some people, but for most of us, it’s a road to nowhere. If we attempt to write a book every time we get a good idea, we constantly leave previous ideas half finished. If we don’t stop to think about whether the idea is viable, we may get in over our heads or write a book that’s unpublishable or unsalable due to market saturation or lack of interest.

Tips for Writing a Book

There is no right or wrong way to write a book. Ultimately, each author has to figure out how to tackle the project, and what works for one writer might not work for another. But there are some simple techniques and strategies that many authors have found useful and there are certainly steps involved that are essential if you intend to bring your book to a reading audience.

These tips for writing a book are designed to help you think about your project before you commit and to outline some key tasks that have to be tackled in the process of writing a book from concept to publication.

1. Start with a Concept

You might have ten great ideas every day or just one brilliant idea in a decade. The trick is knowing which writing ideas to develop. Before fully committing to a book-length project, make sure it’s the right one for you, something you’re passionate about and can spend months or years cultivating.

2. Identify Your Audience

There’s a difference between knowing your audience and writing for a market. If you love Star Trek, maybe you should write science fiction novels. Then, it would be logical to assume that your audience will consist of Star Trek fans. You should also know your genre. But don’t look at the best-seller list, determine that paranormal romance is all the rage, and set out to write a book just because you think it’s hot right now. There’s a strong likelihood that by the time you finish your book, the fad will have passed and everyone will be reading historical war stories. Write what you love. 

3. Test Your Ideas with an Outline

An outline can be as simple as a few key bullet points or so elaborate that it spans dozens of pages. And many writers don’t use outlines at all. Outlines are like road maps; they provide you with a sense of direction, a route you can use as you draft your book. You have to decide if you work better with outlining or discovery writing. Try both and find what fits.

4. Decide How to Publish

You might wait until after you finish your book before deciding how to publish (self publishing or traditional publishing), but there are benefits to giving it consideration beforehand. If you’re writing a nonfiction book, you may be able to get a book deal (and an advance) before you start writing if you go with traditional publishing. If you’re writing a novel and plan to self-publish, you might want to learn about the self-publishing process while you’re writing your book.

5. Draft Your Book

While it’s true that you’re ultimately writing for an audience, most writers agree that as you write your draft, you should actually write it for yourself. Look at this way: you too are a reader. If you write a book that you’d love to read, then there will be others who will love to read it too.

6. Think About Marketing

All authors have to engage in marketing. If you have the resources, your involvement may mean hiring a PR agency to handle the bulk of the marketing for you. But most of today’s authors find that they have to spend more time marketing than writing. If you write a book, people will read it, but only if you tell them about it first. Marketing is all about making sure people are aware of your book. This is when you find your audience. 

Bonus marketing tip: you can start building a marketing platform long before you finish your book (maybe even before you start writing it).

7. Revisions: Edit and Proofread

Don’t send your first draft to anyone. That includes beta readers, agents, and editors. Don’t even show it to your mom. You might have to rewrite entire chapters. You might have to rearrange relationships in a novel or lop off some of your favorite scenes. Your job is to produce the best book possible. So take the time to make changes that improve your work. 

8. Engage Beta Readers and Apply Feedback

Once you’ve got a book that you think is ready for readers, send it out to some trusted friends. The best beta readers are well read. Try to find someone who is familiar with your genre. Get a reader with exquisite grammar skills. Invite their feedback. Ask them how you can make your book even better. Then, weigh their suggestions and implement the ones that will improve your book even further. 

9. Polish Your Final Draft

Once you have your manuscript in good order, go through and give it a final polish. Nobody likes to read a book peppered with typos. There is an audience that won’t even notice your typos, but you’re not doing them any favors by delivering a faulty product.

10. Publish and Sell

Writing a book is only the first half of your first mission as an author. Once you get it written, you have to get it published. And then you have to sell it. Do some research on traditional and self-publishing. Look into marketing strategies for authors. Prepare for the ride, because it will be a wild one.

Think of these tips for writing a book as general guidelines. Take what you need or what you think will be useful for your particular project.

Got any additional tips for writing a book? Share your insights and experiences with writing a book-length manuscript by leaving a comment, and keep writing!

You can do just about anything in a poem. That’s why poetry writing is so wild and free: there are no rules. Poets have complete liberty to build something out of nothing simply by stringing words together.

All of this makes poetry writing alluring to writers who are burning with creativity. A poet’s process is magical and mesmerizing. But all that freedom and creativity can be a little overwhelming. If you can travel in any direction, which way should you go? Where are the guideposts?

Today’s writing tips include various tools and techniques that a poet can use. But these tips aren’t just for poets. All writers benefit from dabbling in poetry. Read a little poetry, write a few poems, study some basic concepts in poetry, and your other writing (fiction, creative nonfiction, even blogging) will soar.

Below, you’ll find thirty-six writing tips that take you on a little journey through the craft of poetry writing. See which ones appeal to you, give them a whirl, and they will lead you on a fantastic adventure.

36 Poetry Writing Tips

1. Read lots of poetry. In fact, read a lot of anything if you want to produce better writing.
2. Write poetry as often as you can.
3. Designate a special notebook (or space in your notebook) for poetry writing.
4. Try writing in form (sonnets, haiku, etc.).
5. Use imagery.
6. Embrace metaphors but stay away from clichés.
7. Sign up for a poetry writing workshop.
8. Expand your vocabulary.
9. Read poems over and over (and aloud). Consider them, analyze them.
10. Join a poetry forum or poetry writing group online.
11. Study musicality in writing (rhythm and meter).
12. Use poetry prompts when you’re stuck.
13. Be funny. Make a funny poem.
14. Notice what makes others’ poetry memorable. Capture it, mix it up, and make it your own.
15. Try poetry writing exercises when you’ve got writer’s block.
16. Study biographies of famous (or not-so-famous) poets.
17. Memorize a poem (or two, or three, or more).
18. Revise and rewrite your poems to make them stronger and more compelling.
19. Have fun with puns.
20. Don’t be afraid to write a bad poem. You can write a better one later.
21. Find unusual subject matter — a teapot, a shelf, a wall.
22. Use language that people can understand.
23. Meditate or listen to inspirational music before writing poetry to clear your mind and gain focus.
24. Keep a notebook with you at all times so you can write whenever (and wherever) inspiration strikes.
25. Submit your poetry to literary magazines and journals.
26. When you submit work, accept rejection and try again and again. You can do it and you will.
27. Get a website or blog and publish your own poetry.
28. Connect with other poets to share and discuss the craft that is poetry writing.
29. Attend a poetry reading or slam poetry event.
30. Subscribe to a poetry podcast and listen to poetry.
31. Support poets and poetry by buying books and magazines that feature poetry.
32. Write with honesty. Don’t back away from your thoughts or feelings. Express them!
33. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Mix art and music with your poetry. Perform it and publish it.
34. Eliminate all unnecessary words, phrases, and lines. Make every word count.
35. Write a poem every single day.
36. Read a poem every single day.

Have you written a poem lately?

I believe that poetry is the most exquisite form of writing. And anyone can write a poem if they want to. In today’s world of fast, moving images, poetry has lost much of its appeal to the masses. But there are those of us who thrive on language and who still appreciate a poem and its power to move us emotionally. It’s our job to keep great poetry writing alive. And it’s our job to keep writing poetry.

What are some of your favorite writing tips from today’s list? How can you apply poetry writing techniques to other forms of writing? Do you have any tips to add? Leave a comment!