It's been a tough year for everyone. The coronavirus has hit us like a meteoroid, disrupting all life on Earth but for the aspiring creative who has been lucky enough to maintain a job through the furlough scheme it has provided the perfect opportunity to explore all the wonderful ideas roaming around their mind.
However saying that, being confined to ones house can dampen our creative spirits. What inspiration can we find cooped up in our bedrooms or limited to our daily pop to the shops? But I am telling you there is still hope!
Here's some of my 10 tips to combat Writer's Block...
1) A banging playlist.
This might sound simple but there's nothing like a collection of songs that hit you right in the feels. Also the constant flicking between songs and skipping the songs you don't like can be a distraction when you're mid-writing and having the vast choice that Spotify brings makes picking that first song that much more challenging.
My own playlist only took a few months of cultivating but we've all got to start somewhere what I found works best is SHAZAM when you're out and about it's your friend and sooner than you'd think...BAM just like that, you'll have 13 hours worth of songs to get you through the toughest writer block.
2) Most creatives try to shut off from social media and go out to get some inspiration from exploring new places, meeting exciting people or simply going for a walk.
Unfortunately these options have been taken away from us because of the Lockdown but this is where social media is your new friend.
Jacqueline Wilson once said that she would always find inspiration for her stories through people watching, she would see an intriguing person on the street and rather than speak to them she would make up their backstory in her head, and by extension their family or friends and wholla! She's now a best selling author.
Instagram has given us the perfect platform of exhibitionists which can now become your tool for creating your main character.
Simple scroll through your 'discover' list and ask some simple questions.
Where are they?
How did they get there?
What drove them to get there?
Are they alone? Why?
Do they have tattoos?
What do they mean?
Have they died their hair?
These might all sound like creepy questions to ask of a photo on your phone, and to you it can seem intrusive but these are perfectly normal questions you'd have in a conversation with a friend of a friend you'd just met. But more importantly it could be the first building block on your next best selling book.
3) Saying that you can ditch some of the technology.
The pen is all you need.
Getting back to basics with a pen (you know the one that makes you write nice) and note pad (or several in my case). This is for two reasons
a) Sometimes free writing is the best thing. Instead of thinking about what you want to write and not knowing where to start. Sit pen in hand and just start writing. It doesn't even have to be something creative it can start with how you feel what you did that day. And before you know it you might find yourself writing about scenarios, about a character, how they're feeling etc. Better yet this is something you can revisit - after all, everything we write has an element of ourselves in.
b) Or better yet carry a little black book around with you and note down anything interesting that you hear or see rather than writing it in your phone. Sometimes having a separate manifestation of your ideas that is void of distractions like WhatsApp messages and social media, is helpful as you won't get interrupted when revisiting notes.
4) Know you're time!!
For example I'm currently writing this at 1:17am on a Monday morning because I know I always seem to be able to write when it's dark and I know I'm the only one awake. I would love to be able to tell you why but I seriously don't know. Every since I could remember I never, nor will I ever be a morning person (no matter how many times I have to get up for my day job, which is usually 7am). I will always rather have a late night with no sleep so that I can write.
Saying that some people are the opposite.
Some people thrive with the rising of the sun, when the dew is still on the grass. If this is you, get to bed earlier wake up earlier to squeeze in any writing time that you can because you know come the darkening of the day you won't get any done.
5) KNOW YOUR VIBE.
Even though it's 1:17 (now 1:23am) I'm sat in bed, wrapped up in my duvet like ET in the bike basket with a mug of coffee in my hand, candles lit and surrounded by the note books I mentioned earlier. With that playlist I also mentioned earlier.
Create your environment. If you have a family or a small apartment this could be tricky but it is massively beneficial to have a place of your own that you feel comfortable. Perhaps get a simple storage box that can go under your bed or in a cupboard filled with all the things that gets you relaxed - Like in that Galaxy advert where the girl hides her chocolate bar under her couch. There's nothing wrong with being a little selfish - making a space & having all the things at the get go.
Make it a ritual. When you want to write, get your storage box out. Light those candles. And get yourself in that mindset for wanting to write.
PS this isn't something I do every time, sometimes, especially when I'm feeling sad, all I have to do is get my MacBook out I can type away like my life depends on it but remember we're trying to combat those moments when nothing is coming to mind and feeling at ease helps.
It's like a routine, over time you'll be conditioning yourself to know that every time you grab your writer's block box, you'll automatically get the creative juices flowing.
Here's my creative space (excuse the corny poetry) <3
6) Grab a book.
Read a chapter of a book you haven't read, not at the beginning but randomly in the middle. You'll have no idea what's going on, who the characters are or what they mean to each other. This will get your mind thinking. You are now Sherlock Holmes, trying to uncover the mystery before you, you'll start thinking of scenarios that brought you to where you are in the book. You have now created your own characters with their own story, keep that note book of yours to hand and write down every idea that comes to mind.
There you have it! If this wasn't such unpredicted times I'd suggest a few more tricks I have up my sleeve but with the national lockdown I don't see that happening! When we're all back open for business I'll give you all my other top tips!
Stay safe <3
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