One of the biggest problems writers face is writer’s block. I wish I had a dollar for every time I have stared at a blank page on the screen and thought “Now what do I write?”. You know what it is like: you plan to write, you allocate a couple of hours to write, and sit down ready to write. Then it hits you: the big fat nothing. Nothing happens and you end up staring blankly at your blank page hoping something will just materialise or you end up playing games on your computer while you wait for inspiration. Neither technique actually helps you to get writing again!

 When you need inspiration, Newbies Writers offers a daily prompt to get your creative juices flowing again in the Need a Prompt section. Even if you write in a totally different genre, such as a novel, or factual articles, it can be very helpful to warm up with a quick writing exercise from the prompting section. Give yourself 10 minutes and write whatever comes into your head after reading the daily prompt. It might surprise you how easy it is to get back to your other writing afterwards.

Just about any creative writing exercise will help you to get over writer’s block and get writing again. One of my favourites is to look at a picture and describe a story from the picture. Look at the people in the picture and imagine a character for each person. Where does the man in the brown suit live? What relationship does he have with the woman in the yellow hat? What are the people thinking when the picture was taken?

Another good exercise is to cut up headlines into separate words from a newspaper and mix the words in an envelope. Take out five or six words, make a new headline and write a fake news article about your new headline. This is a great exercise to get you in the mood for writing again.

 Allison’s recent blog on outlining also offers some great ideas on how to avoid writer’s block. Outline your novel, article, short story, or poem, so that you have something to refer to when you get stuck. If you are staring at a blank screen and have a definite project in mind, start an outline and you will soon find it easy to write again.

 If you write fiction, try interviewing one of your characters about the other characters when you get writer’s block. You may not use the interview itself in your work, but you will definitely get some great ideas and inspiration to keep you writing.

Whatever you do, don’t just sit there or play games on the computer. Start writing anything and you will find you will be able to concentrate on whatever you need to write sooner. Free write or give yourself a short story break rather than give up on your writing altogether. You will find inspiration will strike again soon!

HayleyWriter

Visit my website: http://www.expandingcreations.com for free articles about writing.

Juggling a hectic home life with the beginnings of a writing career has proven more challenging than I had initially anticipated. My challenge currently is to find the time to write. My boys are 2 and 4 years old. Each with needs that only mommy can fulfill.

My two year old will walk over to where I am sitting with my laptop and close it on my fingers as I am trying to type.  This is a daily occurrence for me.

It is 11:30pm and I write this blog in my son’s dimly lit room impatiently waiting for him to give in to sleep. If I am lucky I will write for a half hour and become victor over this cute but stubborn blond haired boy who is desperately fighting sleep and he will it is only a matter of time.

I acquired a notebook which I carry around with me should my muse strike. I often find myself writing in the strangest of places… the bathroom while I am washing, the kitchen and even the laundry room. I savour the moments when I can as is Dawn’s favourite saying  “JUST WRITE SOMETHING.”

In parting, I would like to leave you with this question. How do you find balance between your writing and your responsibilities?

Until the next time happy writing adventures.

Allison

As an academic writer first and foremost, I have encountered several pieces of advice for how best to make my writing accessible to the layperson. Some tips are obvious, such as not using jargon. However, the best piece of advice was presented to me by a Professor on my undergraduate course, a recommendation I use not only in my non-academic writing, but also in my scientific communications: Keep it simple!

Writers all too often wish to show off their intelligence by using complex language and  assuming a certain amount of knowledge from their readers. They think that by ‘impressing’ their reader in such a way, they will appear as superior intellects. However, all this does is alienate their audience.

The trick with non-fiction writing is not to make YOU appear intelligent, but to make the reader feel that THEY are intelligent. By explaining complicated matters in a simple, easy to read manner, the reader will grasp the concept and come away from the experience feeling better about themselves and you as a writer. I experience this all the time when reading certain popular science books on Quantum Physics. Pick up any book by Brian Greene, or Michio Kaku, and they will make you feel like you are an expert in the impossible. Richard Dawkins is also another excellent proponent of this method. They don’t shy away from using simpler language and concepts to portray their message.

A lot of writers when presented with this advice do not wish to ‘dumb-down’ their writing; they still cling to their desire to use complex language and terminology, as they fear that not doing so will make them look like incompetent writers. They feel that they have to use long, rarely encountered words in order to demonstrate how educated and eloquent they are as writers; all they accomplish, however, is to annoy the reader, bored with constantly reaching for the dictionary.

So, whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, keep it simple! Your reader will thank you.