In part 1 of this article, we covered three tips – specific writing output, mental editing, and sleeping on it. We examine the remaining three here in part 2.

Tip 4 – Park it temporarily

This is a continuation to the ‘sleep on it’ rule. When you get stuck in the middle of your writing, it also helps to park the writing process temporarily. Find something else to do. Go for a walk, play with kids, read a book, watch a movie, practise your hobby. Engage in any activity other than writing. This allows the brain to subconsciously ponder on your writing problem. Creativity thrives when you engage in multidisciplinary activities. Get back to writing when your mind has relaxed enough. You will have found a new solution.

Tip 5 – Identify your triggers

Observe yourself and identify the triggers that contribute to your writers’ block. These may be internal or external. One of my triggers is external. I check other people’s reviews of a book I have read before writing my own review.  This puts me off. I end up thinking that I have nothing new to write, so why bother! So, many of my reviews never get written. Now, I write my review as soon as I read the book. I publish it in my chosen platform before I read any other reviews. Even if I find similar thoughts expressed elsewhere, my thoughts also have a place. There is room enough for everyone’s expressions.

Identify such triggers for yourself. Once you identify them, either avoid the situation consciously or find a work-around. As you go through a few cycles of this, it becomes more natural.

Tip 6 – Put in consistent effort

Consistent effort is the key to keep writing. Achieve your assigned writing output consistently. Take one step at a time. If you miss one day, dust it off as a temporary setback. Start afresh the next day. There are unavoidable circumstances sometimes. So, forgive yourself. One missed deadline should not stop you from achieving the many other milestones that lie ahead.

I fell into this trap often. I would make a weekly plan – write for one hour every day for one week. If I did not make it on the second day for any reason, I gave up. This would push me into a self-doubting spiral. I would be disappointed that the momentum did not last for even two days. That meant I lost the opportunity to write for 5 days in the rest of the week. This is my most challenging problem. I work on it constantly. It has helped me a lot to pick up where I left off. Even when the gaps are long, I rewrite the story for myself when I pick up the pen again.

Summary:

Assign a specific writing output

Stay away from mental editing

Sleep on it when stuck

Park it temporarily when stuck

Identify your triggers

Put in consistent effort

As I continue to progress in my writing journey, these tips help me stay on track.