How many times have you stared at either a laptop screen or a piece of paper willing the words to come, but they don’t? The muse has fled, your characters have suddenly developed a group case of Laryngitis, and you feel like you just want to give up. Writer’s Block is something I’m sure many writers have suffered from. I know I have.
In the past I used to try and smash through it, but all that did was make it worse. So I ended up trying something different. When it hit I powered down my laptop and left my office. I spent time doing something else; reading, gardening, or going out for a walk. Anything which cleared my mind, giving it a sort of reboot. After a day or two I found I could return to doing what I loved, the block having gone.
When you hit that wall, don’t give up. Don’t convince yourself you are a bad writer, that you will never accomplish anything. You will. It’s just sometimes your mind needs a recharge. Allow it that and after a while the voices will speak up, the muse will rest on your shoulder, and the words will flow. One thing I’ve personally discovered is there are times the characters have nothing to say because they know we need that break. Silence doesn’t mean they’ve gone for good. It just means you and they are on a sort of mini vacation until you are all ready to dive back into the world of words again.
Raven Anxo 