In these times of isolation and free time, naturally, we've all had more time to be more creative. For some people its tending to the garden. For others, it's making the house look spotless. For me, it's given me so much time to write. However, it can be a blessing and a curse. Writing so much and (for me anyway) more than ever before, has allowed a huge wave of writer's block to swamp me to the bottom of the proverbial ocean. I've had a burnout of creativity and I know a lot of other people in the industry have as well. So here are my top tips to getting out of 'writer's block'.
STOP WRITING
It's okay to stop writing. You've got time. If nothing is coming to your mind, then what you force yourself to write won't be as natural and you'll end up cutting it later anyway, wasting even more time. Be patient. Don't compare yourself with other people's productivity. If your friend or colleague or just someone you know can work for 25 hours a day non-stop, then great. I can't work well for extended periods of time. But in the short bursts I do work, I produce some of my best work (like this here blog).
WRITE SOMETHING ELSE
I get bored very easily, but I love keeping creative, especially when I'm on a roll. So if ideas aren't coming to me, I'll focus on another project for a while. Sometimes I'll be flip-flopping between four or five different projects, all needing my attention. Not allowing yourself to get bogged down in one project is an awesome way to make multiple projects seem less daunting. Also, ideas that spark from one place may also inspire you for the project you're struggling with. If you don't have anything else you have to write, then challenge yourself to write something you've never tried before or you have always wanted to try.
KEEP A NOTEBOOK BY YOUR BED
How many times have you woken up from sleep, had a brilliant idea, gone to write it later in the morning and completely forgotten what it was? More times than I wish to imagine. If you keep a notebook by your bed, that'll give you peace of mind that if you do think of the next Oscar-winning film, at least you'll remember what it was about.
TAKE AWAY ALL DISTRACTIONS
Turn that phone on aeroplane mode, stop watching repeats of F.R.I.E.N.D.S (you know it off by heart) and open up your writing tools. We all keep distractions near us, making us much less productive. Eliminate that from happening by taking all unnecessary distractions away.
EXERCISE
Now I'm not saying to go and do a marathon, but even going for a walk or a quick home workout will do wonders for your mind. Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel all the better, and you will feel rejuvenated and ready for your next writing session. If you're not big on exercise check out Joe Wicks. He has home workouts for all abilities and they're actually quite fun as well. One to do as a family as well.
STAY HYDRATED
That means water. Whisky is for when you're done. This is really a tip for life, but there is no doubt that staying hydrated will keep your creative juices flowing for longer. Also, the more you drink, the more toilet breaks you can take.
There are my personal tips to overcoming writer's block. If you have any more that you've discovered yourself, leave them in the comment section. I'm sure they can help us all!
Bye for now
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