Breaking Through Writer’s Block

Breaking Through Writer’s Block

By MARIE MACCAGNO, M.A., ADVENTURES IN WRITING

Do you ever find yourself “stuck” in the middle of a writing project, without any inspiration for how to move your story forward? Do you sometimes run out of ideas to keep your readers engaged? Ever find yourself wondering, “Why bother?” Here are some suggestions that have helped me, and many of my writing clients, break through creative barriers.

1 . Take a break and do something fun, completely unrelated to writing. Move your body, go for a walk, dance, swim, play with a grandchild. Whatever is fun for you!  To take this a step further, do you remember how to have fun? Sometimes in our adult lives, we lose sight of those activities that once gave us such pleasure as children. Spend some time remembering yourself at nine years old, and what you found most absorbing. What brings a smile to your face when you think about engaging in that activity? Do that. 

2 . Julia Cameron, in her book, The Artist’s Way, suggests taking yourself on an “Artist’s Date” on a regular basis. Choose an activity that nourishes your senses; that you do on your own. It could be visiting an art gallery, browsing in bookstores, looking at knitting patterns, walking in a forest, or gazing at the ocean, watching a sunset. The possibilities are endless; the premise is to feed your creative soul the way that you provide food for your physical needs.

3 . Play with some timed writing, using sentence stems to get you started. With timed writing, you typically hand-write for ten minutes, keeping your hand moving the whole time. If you get stuck on a word or phrase, keep repeating that phrase until something new arises. Keep writing, “I don’t know what to write, I don’t know what to write…” and watch what happens. It can also be powerful to pair opposite ideas together for writing prompts. Some helpful sentence stems that I return to again and again are:

• I remember…..      I don’t remember…..
• What I want to write about …..   What I don’t want to write about …..
• Write what’s in front of you, using all your senses. Anchor yourself in your physical environment, with no judgment or commentary.
• Use the first line of a book you love and write for 10 minutes
• Scan the book titles on your shelf and choose one title as your prompt.
• Natalie Goldberg’s book, Wild Mind has great ideas about timed writing.
• If you’re more interested in memoir-writing, choose Natalie Goldberg’s book, Old Friend from Far Away.

4 . Take some time to reflect on your ideal readers; your audience. Choose one of those ideal readers, and dive more deeply into the details of their life. It seems counter-intuitive, but the more specific you can be about one person, the more engaging your writing will be. Is your ideal reader a woman in her fifties whose aging parents are requiring more care? Is he a 30-year old man who has recently married the love of his life, yet has trouble trusting she’ll be faithful? What kind of work does your ideal reader do? What type of clothing do they wear? Do they have a favorite coffee shop? What kind of friends do they hang out with?  What kind of family relationships? The more you are able to connect with your ideal reader as an individual, the more you will be sustained in your writing, when your words start to falter, or your inner critic begins to take up too much space in your mind.

5 . Further to this, if you are writing a longer manuscript – perhaps even a novel – that connection with your ideal reader can sustain you for the long haul. For example, when I was writing my book, The Chocolate Pilgrim, there were times when my connection with my ideal reader helped me to choose what stories to tell. When I felt like giving up, thinking there was no point to keep going, I’d remember my ideal reader and how she was waiting to read my words. I had some important things to share, and I knew my words would support her. So I’d pick up my pen, or put my fingers to the keyboard, and keep going.

6 . If you’re feeling stuck, it can also be helpful to reconnect with WHY you are writing; my coach uses the word “purpose”. What is the purpose of your writing? Are you writing sales copy? A blog post? A poem? The purpose of each piece will be different, and will affect your style, your content, as well as the finished product. Together, audience and purpose are essential building blocks for any artist.

7 . Although writing is a solitary act, I firmly believe that it’s important to have a writing group where you share your fresh writing, your works in progress, and receive feedback that guides you in your next steps. If you’re feeling stuck in your writing, a writing circle is a safe place to brainstorm new possibilities. I’m certain that I would not have finished my manuscript without the support of my fellow-writers; I encourage you to join or create a group of your own.

8 . Finally, remember to celebrate every step of the way. Don’t wait until you write, “The End”.  It’s important to continually acknowledge progress, breakthroughs, insights, and helpful encounters. You may even celebrate a discarded draft, as an opportunity for learning. The more you notice your progress, the more ease you will have in your writing.

May your words flow with ease.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ― Maya Angelou

So what do you think is holding you back, or what is it that sets you free to write?

Published author Marie Maccagno is hosting a writing retreat that will provide opportunities for you to connect with others, as well as give you time alone for your creative ventures. Let yourself by inspired by the tropical beauty of Bali and the serenity of Floating Leaf Eco-luxury Retreat. Say Yes to the gift of creative nourishment. Learn more about this once in a lifetime gathering HERE.