39: Ways to Break Through Writer’s Block

Is writer's block real? Yes. Can you beat it?

Also? Yes. Many pointers to come in this episode of writing

pursuits. Welcome to the writing pursuits podcast where authors

like you discuss writing craft, author life and book marketing

strategies. I'm your host Kathrese. McKee. I own writing

pursuits and write and produce the weekly newsletter writing

pursuits, tips for authors. In addition, I am a speculative

fiction author, writing procedures for authors who drink

too much coffee, endure judgemental looks from their

furry writing, convenience and struggle for words. If you are a

writer seeking encouragement, information and inspiration,

this podcast is for you. Let's get to it. Hey, writing pursuits

authors. Welcome

back to the podcast. For those of you who are new, I want to

extend a special welcome. My name is Kathrese McKee. And I'm

glad you're here. Please leave a comment a star rating and follow

the show to help others find writing pursuits is writer's

block real? Yes. For you curmudgeons out there, you

writer's block deniers just move on. Go somewhere else here, take

your hat and leave the doors that way. writer's block is too

well documented and widely experienced to be denied by

people who look at life in an honest way. If you've never

experienced writer's block, then you simply haven't had it yet.

For everyone else, be assured. writer's block is not a

permanent condition. And there are ways to minimize its impact.

So let's get to it. What is writer's block. If you sit down

to write on your latest work in progress and simply get stuck,

unable to proceed? That is a form of writer's block.

According to the online Oxford Dictionary, writer's block is

the condition of being unable to think of what to write, or how

to proceed with writing. Merriam Webster defines writer's block

as a psychological inhibition, preventing a writer from

proceeding with a piece anxiety and grief can play a part.

Fatigue is usually a factor. Burnout happens when you feel

swamped and overwhelmed. Everyone my friend goes through

these things and sometimes it makes us unable to write well,

or unable to write at all. Some people have better luck pushing

through others grind to a standstill. writer's block is

not a moral failure. If you are at a standstill. I'm not saying

it will be easy to regain momentum. But it is possible to

find your way back eventually, by using some of the following

techniques. You must be persistent, but you must also be

kind to yourself. I see you curmudgeons lurking on the

sidelines waiting for your moment to chime in. Your reality

doesn't match the real life experiences of other authors

writing isn't the problem thinking is you know how to

write you love to form word pictures and communicate

thoughts and imaginative stories and create emotional experiences

through your writing. Words are your jam. Writing is not the

cause of writer's block thinking is disclaimer I'm not a

therapist, psychologist, a psychiatrist or any other type

of mental health professional. This is not intended as medical

treatment. If you are suffering from dark thoughts, please seek

professional medical care mindset and mental health and

brain hygiene can stop a writer mid sentence. Most techniques

authors use to get past writer's block center on helping the

brain function better. Mindset is meta because we're thinking

about thinking with our thinker. I'm sorry, I couldn't resist

being silly mental health. So why is mental health so

difficult to treat and improve? Mental health is swayed by

trauma and internalized beliefs, our emotional state and physical

factors like hormones, neurotransmitters, exercise,

food choices, and sleeping habits. Unfortunately, mental

health is a fuzzy catchphrase, which these days is very

frequently politicized to demonize and abused. So I'm

sorry about that very unfortunate. Brain hygiene is a

concept most people do not know about. But like dental hygiene,

it can make a huge difference over time. As you can probably

guess brain hygiene directly affects mental health. Some

physical factors are outside our control, like how much dopamine

is present in our brains. Also environmental factors are often

out of our control. Brain hygiene involves us following

factors consciousness, which is being present in the moment to

monitor your thoughts, food choices, alcohol use, drug use

both over the counter and prescriptions, caffeine intake,

exercise, rest and sleep, environmental conditions, social

interactions and curiosity. Your brain is your machine, take care

of it. The most wonderful aspect about brains is how they react

to positive action. They are able to heal and to work better

with persistent intentional care. take positive action to

affect your thinking. If you accept that writer's block is

about how thinking affects writing, then you are ready to

put some practices and habits in place to positively affect your

about each of the brain hygiene factors we just talked about. So

we will only hit the high spots. Writing pursuits is run by

Kathrese. McKee, who has been trusted by fiction authors since

2014. To take their writing to a new level of excellence.

Guthrie's is a three story methods certified editor who

specializes in story diagnostics, coaching, and line

editing to help you prepare your story for the journey ahead. For

more information, go to writing pursuits.com. The link is in the

show notes. And now back to the podcast. We will go over some

techniques authors have found helpful, the rest is up to you.

conscious action is required. So first, stop. Listen to your

subconscious warnings something it needs to be fixed. heed your

body in mind when they are tired. Second, relax, take a

bath or a shower. I'm telling you water is magical. Take a

break, take a nap. Or just try to take a nap lights off cool

room sometime during the futile attempt to sleep. ideas may

swamp your mind. And finally get a full night of rest. Third,

prepare every day when you sit down to write prepare. Create a

space that is writer friendly, be rested. Warm up with a

handwritten page about your life before you begin work.

Handwritten pages will change your life. It's based on brain

science, there's a connection there that isn't available to

you when you're typing on a computer. Fourth, work in short

increments Pomodoro is that a word? If not, it should be start

small with 510 or 15 minute sessions, rest between each

session, and then go at it again. Fifth, switch intentions

for writing. Write to prompts every day until you get unstuck.

Go for a walk or go on an errand with purpose. When you return.

Write about what you saw or heard or felt while you are

away. Work on a different writing project. Start a new

writing project. That's not the same thing. You can switch

between projects or you could start something entirely new. Or

you could try something new that you've never done before like

writing poetry or lyrics. Free write about nothing in

particular, turn off your filters. use pen and paper to

get an entirely different experience from sitting at a

computer. Six, swap environments, change your

environment go to the coffee shop, go to the park and sit at

a table. Running water like a spring or fountain is supposed

to be helpful. I love being your fountain while I write number

seven. Use curiosity about your story. This is probably the most

powerful tool. Imagine a fan fiction version or spin off of

your story and write that. Ask yourself what if questions? What

if my MC has an evil twin? What if my MC loses their job? What

if my MC is abducted for one night by aliens? Get a silly or

as serious as you can write down your answers silly or not.

Eventually, you may have a breakthrough. Write about your

characters when they were far younger, or what they might be

like far in the future. This isn't for the story, but knowing

their pasts, or predicting their futures may help you get

unstuck. Write a letter from the main character to someone else

in the story. Or write a letter by a secondary character to a

non character, someone who is not part of your story. Let your

side character predict what they think is going to happen or how

they secretly feel about what has been going on. Ask yourself

questions about why why why this is the five year olds trick,

right? Why is the character acting this way? Why did They

react to something in their past like that. Why are they

triggered by someone? Why do they believe that thing about

themselves? Why did they react that way? Why why why? Interview

a character interview a setting I mean, why not skip to a scene

you really want to write and give it a go. Assign something

ridiculous for your characters to do. blow something up in your

story. Make a character fall down a flight of stairs

unexpectedly swap lines between characters and see where it

goes. Plot backward from the desired ending. What needs to

happen before that to lead to the end before that, and before

that, or maybe your brain knows the ending isn't right. So

explore alternative endings. And finally, the easy one, go do

some research. You never know. You never know what's going to

happen next. The last exercise, though for drive a walk a run or

swim, meditate, do yoga. Do something that keeps your hands

busy like washing the car, or the dishes or raking leaves,

leaves, leaves, raking leaves. Leave your mind free to roam. Go

play with the kids or the dog. Volunteer to run someone's

errand. Distract yourself. listen to audiobooks use a

different creative outlet to relax your mind. Like drawing

painting, making music, carpentry or gardening make a

collage, dance knit crochet or rearrange a room. Watch a movie

or binge a show. listen to a podcast. Hint hint. All these

suggestions are about moving your mindset, improving your

mental health and performing brain hygiene to get you past

this temporary sticking place. Being stuck does not mean you

are unable to write it doesn't mean you aren't meant to be a

writer. Only you choose whether you are a writer getting past

writer's block takes persistent conscious action. You can do

this. Give yourself grace. Keep trying and you will make it

through. This week's question is What is your favorite way to get

unstuck and beat writer's block.

That's all I have for this week. Until next time, keep writing.

Thank you for joining us today. If you enjoyed this episode,

please leave a comment and follow the podcast. If you're

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newsletter writing pursuits. Tips for authors that link and

all the links mentioned in today's episode are in the show

notes at writing pursuits.com. Please join us on Wednesdays for

new episodes and keep writing my friends. Keep writing