Tips & Tricks - Writer's Block

Laura's Tacky Tuesday
Tips & Tricks--Writer's Block

Today we're going to talk about writer's block!! I know, I know, writer's block isn't any fun. Trust me, I'm just getting out of a bad case of it. Today, we're going to talk about ways you can overcome writer's block. Now, remember, this is just some tips that I've learned over the years, they may or may not work for you.

1. We probably ought to cover the basics. When you're stuck with writer's block, you can't write. Think about putting the piece your working on away for a while and coming back to it. Let it sit on the back burner for a couple of days. 

2. Work on a different idea. It doesn't have to be a novel or anything long, it could be a simple short story, or an idea you've been bouncing around in your head. 

3. Look for inspiration: Inspiration can come from anything. If you read my intro post, you'll remember that I have this weird ability to look at rocks and start the story going. "What if a body was found, brutally attacked and shot, on this rock? What would the police do to find murderer? How would they know what happened that night? What made that rock the place the victim was killed?" Let your mind get carried away, even if you think it's stupid. 

4. Listen for inspiration: I'm serious. After I finished the first draft of Snatched, I went through a bout of "what's next?" I was desperate for an idea, any idea that I could take and write. Then it hit me. I was driving my sister to dance one night, listening to Taylor Swift, her little special Deluxe version of Speak Now, the one you can buy at Target (with the red cover). There's a song called "Superman." It came on the car stereo system and the little light bulb went off in my head. A story about superheroes! It didn't all come to me at once, but if it hadn't been for that song, I'd probably would have never come up with the idea for Super Ordinary, my new book. So, inspiration can come from anywhere, including Taylor Swift. 

So, writer's block can be fixed; you've just got to know where to look.

And, so, I'll leave you with my latest inspiration, "Superman."