Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Staring at a blank page (or screen)




As I was brainstorming for my blog post, I was determined to write a post that was relevant, interesting, inspiring, and witty. I had no trouble deciding between multiple ideas. Because I had absolutely no ideas to choose from.


Instead I wrote the following haiku:

Mind is a big blank
Can’t think of a thing to write
Wishing for a remedy

And then I got up and washed the dishes and made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.


Writers, what do you do when the words just won’t come? How do you break through a creative block?

5 comments:

  1. If it's decent weather, I go for a long, fast walk and sometimes that works. Leg energy stimulates brain energy?

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  2. I write crap.

    Sometimes the crap becomes fixable crap. Sometimes it just stays crap.

    And sometimes I severely procrastinate writing crap.

    But I never regret writing crap.

    I just don't show it to anyone.

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  3. I sometimes write about how I have nothing to write about-- a lot like you did with this post. :o) At least I'm writing and that gets me started.

    Also, I find that working on numerous projects at once tends to keep me from having creative blocks very often. I can always "goof off" on one project by working on another. (The worst creative block I ever had was when I actually managed to finish all the projects I had been working on at the same time! I had no idea what to write next.)

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  4. LOL Sharon! I do a bit of all of the above -- taking the dog for a walk is sometimes immensely helpful. Sometimes I write incredibly awful stuff, but depending on my mood that can make me feel worse.

    I try to keep a notebook of 'ideas' and when I'm really stuck I look back at those projects that I thought about, but haven't gotten around to yet. It reminds me of something I was excited about and that can get the creative juices flowing.

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  5. Gale,
    Here's to jogging a brain into action!

    Judy,
    I love your no nonsense approach- writing without regrets...

    Brianna,
    I too work on many things at once. One of them is bound to work out!

    Julie,
    An idea notebook is a great resource and a nudge (or kick) in the right direction.

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