Are you a writer? If so, you will find yourself staring at a blank screen with no ideas. This is not the time to panic. Everyone goes through these things, at times. You might be a famous novelist. Maybe you are a free lance journalist with deadlines. You may write for the sheer joy of it. There are some things that you can do, to get back on track. Here are a few tips to consider.

Exercise

Get up and walk around for a few minutes. Take the time to do some household chores. Do some dusting. Run your Dyson all floors vacuum and take your mind away from writing. You can get some good ideas, as you clean the floor.

Take a break

After a few minutes, it is time to quit fighting it. You may only increase your frustration. Try something completely different. Take a short nap. Watch a DVD movie or television program. A few minutes of this, may be just what you need.

Take notes

Keep a notebook with you to write down ideas as they occur. You may be fixing dinner. Perhaps you are setting your child in his Graco Snugride infant car seat. Ideas come at the most inopportune times. Be prepared for them.

Start a routine

A regular routine is a great way to start creative juices flowing. Try to come up with some simple things. Maybe you will have a cup of coffee or tea. Perhaps you will close your eyes and see yourself as a famous writer. These things will help you associate them with your writing.

Just write

Perhaps none of these ideas are working. Sit at your station and begin to write. Write about anything that comes to mind. Are you still drawing a blank? Look around for ideas. Books, magazines, and the Internet, are good sources. Suppose you see a Singapore promotion. Begin writing about travel and tourism. Continue writing until you regain your confidence.

Summary

Every writer faces that dreaded time when nothing comes to mind. You may feel that you are out of ideas. You may be in a mental rut. Take the time for something completely different. Take a short break. Exercise or do some household chores. Keep a notebook with you at all times. When all else fails, sit down and start writing. Often times, something will come to you.

If you are running a business that involves writing, chances are you most likely have problems with the dreaded writer’s block occasionally. Whenever this happens to me, in my internet marketing coaching business,  I’ve observed that the easiest method to start writing again is to take myself out of my familiar surroundings and move on and work some place else such as a cafe or the library.

Although, from time to time even that doesn’t work and I want something extra to get me going. So, I turn motivation techniques into a game.

Fourth Shelf Down

The Intention:

To get over writer’s block and write down a complete piece of content regardless of how good or substandard I judge it to be.

The Setting:

A public library, book shop or the book shelves in the home.

The Game:

Choose how long you’ll write for however don’t make it greater than forty five minutes.

Head to the bookcase where a number of your favorite books are housed and choose the book that is on the fourth shelf down and twenty books from the left. Regardless of what it is, use this to inspire your writing.

You can use the heading as the inspiration or open the book to a random page and pick a specific paragraph. If you select to work with a paragraph decide which paragraph on which page, or even just pick a page number and use the paragraph where your gaze first falls. I prefer to keep it straightforward and just go with the title. However the critical point is to select what you’ll do before you start and subsequently stick to it. Do not change your mind when you arrive at the book. Just read and start writing.

It doesn’t have to make sense or even be about the theme you have just read. The objective is to simply start writing and keep going until your chosen time is up. If you achieve that your imaginitive juices will be flowing and you’ll be all set to write “for real”.

I have written numerous informative articles using this method however that is a bonus. The primary purpose is to get over the block and get going writing.