You’ve been working on your story for months. You breathe your character’s air, see what they see, feel what they feel. You live in them and through them and with them. Then, one day, it happens. That thing you dread. What you hear whispered about among authors and ranted about by inspirational writing gurus: writer’s block. At first, it is no big deal. You sip your tea or coffee and fiddle with your computer or pen and paper. And wait for the story to flow. And wait. And wait some more.

Then, you realize that if you don’t start soon, your precious time will be gone, and your five hundred words for the day will not be written. This lofty goal has never troubled you before…

So, you read the last couple pages of your story, look over your outline, and start scratching or typing away. After a few minutes, you review. It falls flat. Tasteless. Devoid of life. You toss that part away. Stare at the blank page. It stares back. Mocking. Jeering. Daring. And, in that instant, the hard drive of your mind is wiped clean. Blank.

You take a bathroom break.

Blank.

A coffee break.

Blank.

Your lunch break.

Blank.

Now you are desperate. You Google “dealing with writer’s block” and start reading random articles. You feel the first twinge of empathy for your writer friends who have talked about dealing with the agony of writer’s block. You secretly thought they must just be less talented, or something, than you. You never got blocked. The articles all say to do something different. And 3/4 of the suggestions do not sound appealing… like showering to get the next idea (I’ve heard of that… kudos if it works for you!). You call up a few friends. One goes for walks. One talks to other friends. One just writes on their story until it unplugs and flows again. You make a list and try everything.

Nothing works.

Half the suggestions are something physical (sleep, shower, walk, etc.) and half relate to your story (outline the next part, try to imagine it, just push ahead and write it anyway, etc.). Oh, except for the advice to just let it come when it comes. Which you are beginning to wonder will ever happen again. Maybe your mind decided to retire without your permission. If you’ve been here before, you are probably feeling all the anxiety that it entails. Let me tell you a paradox: give up to get around it. If you keep fighting and fighting, you will probably just get more and more frustrated, discouraged, and ultimately depressed. In fact, I’d encourage you to give up within thirty minutes of realizing you are blocked.

Now, think of three random things. Blue car. Girl in a park. Lost key.

Most of you writers probably have one or several story lines already started in your head. Go with it. Write a page or two or three. Let it flow.

Then take a break. Go do something fun.

Come back. Check back on your original story. Are the juices flowing now?

If so, congratulations on freeing your creative juices!

If not, Google “book covers” and find one that appeals to you (take about ten minutes or so to find one). How do you imagine a story with THAT cover would begin? Write it out.

Take a break.

Come back to your original story.

You get the picture.

If your story doesn’t flow, have your writer’s brain flow in another plot, till your original story gets jealous and comes to you. And next time a writer friend complains of writer’s block, you can say, “about that… here is a solution!" Cowboy. Heiress. Cabin on a snowy day. Happy writing!