Writers all over the world will know exactly what I mean when I say that sometimes you just lose all inspiration. Even those who are not writers often reach points in their life when they simply don’t know which way to turn, or where to begin and just lose interest all together. Times like this are difficult, particularly if it affects your work or home life because this lack of motivation can be contagious. Writer’s block can be a killer, especially for bloggers when it takes them away from their hobby – the one thing that often helps them unwind. So what do you do when you’re all out of words? Here are my top tips for getting your writing mojo back again:
- Stop trying to force it – if you keep trying to put words on the page they will just get worse and worse. Give your brain, and your hands, the break they want.
- Get away from the screen – it’s not good for us to sit at a screen for hours on end. Give your eyes a break and head outside for fresh air and sunshine, try visiting somewhere new or head to the coast. I always feel inspired after a walk by the sea.
- Catch up with friends – if you write a lifestyle blog, why not see what issues your friends are facing and see if that inspires you for a new post. I find my friends and family are a great influence for my posts.
- Break your routine – need some new inspiration? Then find something new. Go somewhere different for your morning coffee, cycle to work instead of getting the bus, go for a walk along the river on your lunch break instead of shopping. You get the idea, do something unusual for you and you might find the subject of your new post.
- Get away – travel can be a great inspiration for posts, if you have the time and funds, why not book a holiday? If you don’t, why not a weekend away, visit friends or just go on a day trip to somewhere you’ve never been before.
- Try something new – why not start a new exercise class or learn something new – you could try that recipe you always wanted to. Doing something different is new and exciting, plus it will distract you from the pressure of writing, you could even meet new people who might inspire you to write.
- Delete the drafts – sometimes you will start to write the same essay or blog post several times, often all ending up in a crumpled heap in the bin. But some of us find it hard to delete these posts and start again from fresh, instead trying to re-energise the same tired introductions. If you’re feeling tied down by these drafts, why not delete them all and start afresh, you can use the same ideas but attack them in a different way.
- Don’t over-think it – often writers are also big thinkers and spend a lot of time in their own heads – I know I do – and this can actually harm the writing process at times. Don’t let yourself over-think the piece you are writing because you can easily overcomplicate the post when actually readers crave simplicity.
- Read, watch, listen to everything – one of the best ways to be provoked into writing is to experience the world around us, listen to music and read books, blogs, newspapers or anything you can get your hands on and watch television or films. All of these can raise big issues and questions for you to react to, you could offer reviews or you could just share your findings with your readers in recommendations.
- Invest in your creative space – for writers, especially freelance and bloggers, their desk and work area is very important to them. It is the place they often spend most time in and do their most creative work, so why are they often so boring and uninspiring? Invest in the space around you, choose a good desk and chair then fill the area with images and items that inspire you or prompt you to write.
Hope these tips have helped you as they have helped me in the past, especially when desperately trying to get over another roadblock in an essay at university. But they apply well to all writers, whether blogs, freelance, media, journalists or students.
Have you got any other suggestions? Leave me a comment and share them below.
AbsolutelyLucy 