Guest Author - Pamela Blackmon

Some writers say it doesn’t exist but if you’ve ever found yourself stuck at your computer unable to write a single sentence, you know that writer’s block is real. All you need are 500 words(or whatever your word count is)for your ezine or newsletter article yet the first word seems so elusive, you doubt you’ll ever squeeze out another 499. It’s worse if your deadline is mere hours away. Perhaps your entire issue is complete except for that one blurb that you desperately need to write so that you can put your baby to press, so to speak, and move on to the next stack of work begging to be completed.

Well, the following tips won’t write your article for you but they will help you get past your block and back on the road to creativity:

1. Take deep breaths. It’s true that deep breathing automatically calms your body down. Stand up and stretch and get the blood circulating through your body.

2. Take a 60-second mental vacation. Close your eyes and visualize yourself in your ideal location. See yourself running down the beach, enjoying the heat of the sun as the tide ebbs and flows. Imagine the grit of the sand between your toes as it crunches underneath your feet and smell the salt of the ocean air. Perhaps you’d rather go skiing, mountain climbing, or simply sit on your back porch and sip fresh lemonade. It’s your choice—just see yourself in a different setting.

3. Freewrite. In freewriting, you type or pen whatever comes to mind, no matter what it is or how silly it sounds. Forget grammar, ignore spelling and resist the urge to revise or make any corrections as you let the momentum of the act of writing fill your screen or page. If you find yourself typing the same word or sentence repeatedly, don’t be alarmed. Just give yourself permission to write whatever comes out and give your inner critic a timeout until you’re done.

An effective use of this technique is to set a timer for 3-7 minutes and write without stopping until the bell rings. Most likely, whatever you write during this exercise will be drivel; however, the act of getting the words out can sometimes release the creativity dammed up inside of you.

4. Complete A Writing Exercise. Also called writing prompts, these are short sentences or paragraphs that suggest topics to write about. Fiction writers often use this tool to jumpstart their imagination but it also works well for any writer stumped by writer’s block. Try recalling your favorite family vacation, the teacher who impacted you most, your most embarrassing moment or any other event that you’d like to write about.

5. Get Away From Your Computer. It’s so easy to sit at your computer all morning or afternoon without taking a break particularly when you have a lot of work to do. However, you must force yourself to get up and stretch your body and relax your mind. Take a short, brisk walk around the block or, if you work at home, go watch a television program for a few minutes, preferably a comedy that will make you laugh and loosen the tension you feel. Eat a snack, drink a glass of water or make a quick phone call to a good friend. Sometimes, all you need is a change of scenery.

6. Do more research. The problem could be that you don’t know enough about your subject to write about it. Do a Google search, pull out any reference books or other resources you might have and take another look at the subject. Also, read back over your notes to see if you’ve missed an angle you can highlight.