How to Start Writing When You Can't Seem To Say Anything
Are you suffering from a bad dose of writers block? If so, you share my most profound sympathies. Writers block feels like a word not spoken, a sentence not said, or prose not yet written. You are desperate to write something. But you can find nothing to write about. You have a nagging sense that you have something to say to the world, if only you find out what that is. You are uncomfortable from sitting in a chair for many fruitless hours, you are hungry, and you irritable. These are the symptoms that often come with writers block. And here is how I deal with it...
1. Write something. Anything. This may seem a little pointless, because if you could write something, you wouldn't have writers block. But here's the thing; if you just start to write, words will come, and you will find yourself putting thoughts into words. Before long, you may end up with three or four paragraphs before your brain dries up again. You can also try giving yourself prompts by typing up deep, complex questions, and then answering them based on how you feel about the topic you chose. This is worth a try, at any rate. It may even help break the monotony.
2. Make an outline of some random idea you might have. Try to keep this idea simple, because the goal of this step is to build on your outline as you go along. The big trick here is this: Do Not Edit Yourself. Keep everything you write down, no matter how silly you think it is. You are only trying to write, and any editing must come after.
3. Get up, make a cup of coffee, and try again. Sometimes relaxing with a nice, hot cup of coffee can help you relieve some of that writers block related stress.
4. Take a break for two weeks. This strategy has given me time to collect my thoughts on my chosen topic, and has also helped me decide whether the piece I am working on is even worth finishing. If, after two weeks, you still can find nothing to say about your chosen topic, maybe it is time to move on to something else.
It took me several weeks to finish this hub, which is no doubt a symptom of writers block. Even now, I am not sure whether any of my examples are even related to combating writers block, but writing this at all has given me a new sense of purpose. But just one last thought; If you have writers block, write about whatever makes you feel good. Putting into words that which you enjoy most is often fun, and definitely worth writing about.