The other day I decided to study in the science building. I’m not a science major. I’m a business major. But you know, there I was in a building full of plants, weird smelling experiments, and…a fresh perspective.
I’ve been writing on and off since middle school. I wrote my first short book between 8th and 9th grade. It’s a small children’s book about a bird that learns how to fly. Then, halfway through high school, I started writing poetry and writing for this blog. And I also write for class, but bleh. That is “required” writing and I don’t always find pleasure in it. All this to say, I have gathered a few tips for how to start writing and keep writing when you hit a mental block.
TO START WRITING
1. Use your emotions
Some of my best pieces of work come from moments of intense emotion. When you are feeling a certain way, pull out the notes on your phone and start jotting down your ideas. If you have enough time, sit in those emotions and let them fuel your pen for as long as they can.
2. Read, read, read
“The best writers are readers.” A guy in my class last semester shared this idea with the class. It stuck. And now I constantly try to be mindful when I read, whether it is for class or for fun. What you read creates a library of words, images, and phrases that you can pull from when you sit down to start writing.
3. Take pictures
When I want to write a new post for my blog, a lot of times I scroll through my photos on my phone. Past memories can be some of the best “prompts” to kick off your writing.
4. Listen & take notes
I started something called a commonplace a few years ago. It is a book of quotes. (Learn more here: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/01/commonplace-books-the-tumblrs-of-an-earlier-era/251811/) The quotes come from authors, speakers, movies, songs, and even things that my friends will randomly say that stop me in my tracks. “Hold on,” I tell them, “I need to write that down.” Yeah, they might question me, but who doesn’t want to be quoted for something significiant they said. For example, the other day my friend said, “God gave us our own camera–it’s our memory.” Each of these quotes gives me a springboard to start a new piece of writing.
TO KEEP WRITING
5. Question yourself
Become your own critic. Ask yourself why. Why did you word it that way? Why do you believe that? Ask yourself what. What inspired that thought? What did that do to you? Ask yourself who. Who told you that? Who were you with when that happened? Ask yourself when. When did you first think or feel that? When do you hope to accomplish that? When do you most feel that way? Ask yourself where. Where were you when you realized that? Where can someone else experience that? Those questions will allow you to expand your writing when it feels like you have nothing left to say. Doing this may even lead to a whole new way of saying something.
6. Get up & move
Chairs can become so uncomfortable. Sometimes my legs and butt fall asleep. Being a writer is not easy. *Sigh* Getting up and doing something that wakes you up and gets your blood flowing will allow you to re-enter into reality. The “zone” is a place where ideas are flowing and time seems to stop. When people run out of ideas, they can get stuck in the “zone” and it becomes a trap. Feels like you can’t escape. I like to put on music and start dancing or go for a run. Helps the mind;) Trust me. Also, you can completely change your scenery by moving to a new spot. Like I mentioned earlier, I started studying and writing in a new building on my campus. It helped freshen things up.
7. Pitch your idea
Verbal processing has the potential to be your best friend. When I can’t figure out what I’m trying to say and I find myself re-reading the same sentence over and over again, I bring people into my ideas. It may seem discouraging at first to have people hear your ideas before you’ve fully understood them yourself, but don’t let that keep you from sharing! Sometimes I feel like I only want to share things when they are complete and sound just right, but that is really hard. Haha, I mean most of my blog posts on my blog right now could still be edited. Let people in. Let others experience your writer’s block with you. Most of the time, just talking it out with people will help you figure out what it is that you want to say.
8. Tell yourself, “5 more minutes”
This one is a challenge for me. When I hit a mental block, I immediately close my laptop and start doing something else. It’s all about productivity for me. What’s next? How can I be efficient? Why can’t I write? Doesn’t matter. I’m dropping this idea and moving onto something else. No, don’t do that! You could be 5 minutes away from a breakthrough. 5 minutes away from the light at the end of the tunnel. 5 minutes away from a new book or poem or journal entry. Allow yourself to keep writing for 5 more minutes and see what happens.
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