Top 5 Tips in Overcoming Writer's Block

So I haven't been able to write lately, at least here on HubPages. I guess I would attribute it to what people would usually call "writer's block". I never really believed in the concept and have always thought of it as an excuse to lack of creativity or inspiration or just plain laziness.

A while ago, I tried writing about processing film. I thought it was going to be easy because I'm pretty interested in photography. For some reason I just couldn't write. And so I've concluded that it was writer's block. It's very counter-productive especially for someone like who gets paid for blogging. Plus, my HubPages 30-day challenge is almost up and this writer's block is really messing with me. For some reason, I can write on my other blogs but it's here on HubPages that my creative juices in my brain become stagnant.

And so I thought of a brilliant idea of writing about writer's block. Yup, in your face, writer's block! To counter my own personal writer's block, I will be writing about tips in countering writer's block. That's probably the best idea ever had in a while.

And so here in this article you will be going through some of the top 10 things I consider to help with getting some inspiration for writing. Hopefully they are able to help you overcome your writer's block.

This is probably the worst advice because of the health risks and addiction that could be associated with caffeine, but hey, it could be your sure solution.

Caffeine is a stimulant and can really fire up your energy and keep your mind working. It will also be a good counter attack to laziness and sleepiness when you're not in the mood to write but you have a deadline to meet. So all in all, coffee is perfect.

Aside from the caffeine stimulating your brain, the warmth and familiar taste of coffee will also be a great accompaniment to writing. Having a cup beside you is perfect and can surely help remedy or take away your writer's block.

I used to be very against this until eventually I realized and understand why people like to surf in places like Starbucks.

It's the change of environment. There's just something about familiarity or routine that can really be uninspiring. Having a change of environment, specifically a coffee shop setting with chill jazz music and the smell of brewing coffee and fast internet that will surely get rid of your writer's block. It's really a lot to do with setting. And that makes sense.

I've always thought that buying coffee in the big business coffee shops was wasteful but then I understood eventually. I realized that the change of environment can make you feel as if you need to write. It compels you. Plus, you can do the first tip of drinking coffee and get to choose from a variety of flavors and styles of coffee.

Of course listening to music isn't all about the sense of hearing. Music is full of visuals and imagery if you just open up and listen deeply. This imagery in your mind created by the music can surely help you write and become more creative and eventually get rid of the music.

For this example I chose a very chill song by one of my favorite electronic music artist that has wonderful imagery. It's very chill and gives me a lot of ideas. Surely it fits when you are writing fiction or something like that. You can really imagine stories and scenes as if you have a background score or much like a music video in your head.

But of course it's a personal preference issue and it all depends on what you are writing about. At the end of it all, whatever you are listening to or love to listen to, it will surely be able to help with you overcoming your writer's block.

Reading from your influences can be a really great way of being inspired to write. Maybe you can read some parts of a favorite book or article that you haven't read for a while. Or maybe check out blog posts of your favorite authors and see the new posts and what's new.

For instance, Anthony Bourdain is one of my favorite writers, and his book Medium Raw is just an amazing story of the world of cooking and eating. I actually have a food blog myself. Then just very recently I realized that he has a blog as well on the Travel Channel website. So I get to check that out from time to time. I also follow him on Twitter so I get updated with the different things he's up to.

And Bourdain is just one of my many favorite authors and grandmasters of writing. Many of them are dead and some still alive. So maybe you can do the same in looking up if your favorite authors have blogs or social media accounts you can follow. Or maybe read a favorite book or article you haven't read for a while. Surely these things wille be able to help in overcoming your writer's block.

This article used to be Top 10 tips but then I made it 5. And it works. Forcing it would have resulted in a badly written and low quality article. If nothing's coming out then don't force it. Readers will notice if your work is forced or natural. Try the tips above and see if it works. If none of them work then maybe you need a break or something. Just relax and unwind and not think about it too much.

Like right now I just got really annoyed by something. So I just won't continue writing. I'll just make the lsit top 5 instead of 10. And in a way, it makes sense. Cause I really can't think of anything else. Maybe try one of those writing exercises or games like ask random words from people and make a story about it or something like that. Or make a mind map or an outline, you know, those generic and age-old traditions in overcoming writer's block. I don't know. Be creative.