I’m sure all of you have experienced feeling unmotivated or uninspired to write. It happens to the best of us. I’m here to tell you that it’s not the end of the world and there are ways to overcome it. Today I’m sharing what I do when writer’s block has me down.
I want to preface this article with a quote from Jack London: “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” Sometimes you can’t wait for inspiration; you have to go and find it. Be active not passive when it comes to your creativity.
Listen to Music
One of the easiest things I do to get inspired is listen to music while I write. The kind of music depends on the kind of writing I’m doing and what book I’m working on at the time.
When working on my fantasy novels, I can only listen to instrumental music, mostly epic fantasy soundtracks. When I’m working on Silent Night and its sequels, I can listen to songs with lyrics, mostly heavy metal and darker pop with a few random extras thrown in.
If I’m revising/editing, for the most part, it’s back to the instrumental stuff. My go to – no matter which project I’m working on – is Skyrim Rainy Night.
Watch Videos About Writer’s Block
This one is almost more procrastination than anything else, but I’ve got in the habit of turning to these whenever I get stuck and now it almost triggers my brain to get back at it. It’s weird, I know.
My favourite for this is Jenna Moreci’s take on it. She always has just the right amount of tough love to kick you back in gear.
Read a Good Book
Sometimes, we have trouble writing because we haven’t read enough lately. We’re too stuck in our own fictional worlds. Other author’s works inspire us and stretch our writing muscles. You learn something every time you read and more often than not, you’ll be super excited to write your book after finishing a great book (or you’ll be determined to write a better book after finishing a book you didn’t like so much)
Reread Favourite Passages from Your Own Books
This one works like a charm too, but be careful you don’t get sidetracked and start working on that book instead. You’re just trying to get inspired for the book you’re supposed to be writing, not distracting yourself.
Sometimes I find it’s better to use old short stories for this or old poems because you’re less likely to get sucked in since the poem or short story is probably already completely finished.
You can also consider decorating your wall or cork-board or something similar with your favourite quotes or passages from your works.
Go to Writer Group Meetings
This is one of my favourites, but sadly, with work schedules, I don’t get to utilize it as often as I’d like. Basically, I encourage you to find a local writer’s group that you can join and meet with other writers in person.
My writer buddies are so talented and full of promise. I leave our meetings every time bursting with inspiration, ideas, and an urge to write. Plus, it helps to get feedback on your work too.
So concludes my short blog on inspiration and what I do to get it. Let me know in the comments if there’s anything you do for inspiration that I didn’t cover. I’m always looking for new ideas. I hope writer’s block steers clear of you and if it hits, I hope its tenure is short.
My next blog will be a ‘Day in The Life’. Have a good day and, as always, keep writing.