Starting Your Novel: Writer’s Block

The enemy of every writer out there, more than critics, editors, or well-meaning family members who just don’t get what you’re doing, is yourself. Writers block is what happens when you get in your own way. If you’ve been following my “Starting Your Novel” series, then you’ll recall my previous post about writing every day and sometimes needing to force it. Writers block is something you have to push through.

This is not a popular idea among, mostly because IT’S HARD. Or it can be. Sometimes it is as simple as overcoming a single hurtle and making yourself start your daily writing. Other times it can be a long and drawn out resistance that you simply have to work through all day. Regardless of how difficult it is, you cannot let it when. Remember, writers are like sharks. We must write to breathe and not sink.

A simple trick to overcoming this internal block is this...

1. Get into position to write. Wherever your workstation is, be at it. 
2. Take a deep, relaxing breath.
3. Tell the internal editor inside of you that it is okay, that nobody will read this until you are ready and that you will be coming back to revise it after your first draft is complete. It is okay to write poorly.  
4. Just write. Start. Go. Do not spend too much time on step 3, but come back to repeat it as often as you need. Just so long as you write, you are not letting blockage win.

Bonus Tip:

                Bullet point on a piece of paper what you want to write about. Not in any huge amount of detail, but a sort of line of progression. A trail of breadcrumbs if you will. This can be a tremendous help promoting creativity and helping keep you on track.