Let's Practice Overcoming Writer's Block
Anyone who writes or attempts to write has had that moment in their hobby/career where they stare at a blank page, their mind completely stuck on how to start this damn whatever the hell. What is the first sentence? What should the first word be? First impressions are everything! What does "Fuckin' hell" from my first post ever tell people about what to expect? This is such a common occurrence that all over the place on the internets are articles about ways to get past writer's block, so lets pick one and talk about it.
According to the first window that comes up in a Google search result from goinswriter there are 14 possible steps, so lets review and try a few, me. I'm talking to me here, but you too, whoever you are. Hi, by the way, hope your day is going well. Ready to do this? I'm not!
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF WRITER'S BLOCK: A PRACTICE RUN
1. Go For A Walk:
Well, alright then... I'm at work trying to write between calls, but hey, this is the first step, lets do it!
Back now. I walked to the bathroom when going on a break. That was nice, I feel lighter. Good tip.
As for that drawing, I liked the idea of there being grass and a big tree because I live in Las Vegas, we don't really have those things. However! Less grass and trees means less super scary bugs... eww bugs. Should I write about bugs?
2. Eliminate Distractions
I seriously almost typed aluminum distractions, don't know why. I just did.
Here is the thing about this step, I'm on a computer connected to the internet. The platform I chose to work on is a distraction. The internet is one big rabbit hole of distractions. Right up top on my bookmarks bar is a link to Youtube, I click on that and I'm gone buddy, gone for hours. I love Youtube. I hate Youtube.
Still writing though, so... I'm winning! However, I put headphones and music on which eliminated the distractions around me. Heck yeah! I put myself into a tunnel of melodic sonic bombardment. I consider that a success, plus, that's like step 8 or 9 on this exercise.
3. Do Something to Get Your Blood Flowing
I did just take a walk to the restroom, that is something, right?
Fffff....ine, I should do something new for all of these, this is an exercise, right? Okay, I got it!
I suffer from social anxiety, it is pretty crappy. I really don't like that I do, makes life just that little bit harder. We are social creatures and what-not. However, today it gets to be a tool!
I sat down next to someone here at work that I've never spoken to before, asked them how their day was going, did the whole small talk thing, got to know them. I asked their name, but forgot it... I forgot most of the conversation actually, I believe they said today was good and it was a bit cold outside... got to get better at that.
My blood is pumping though! Fear is a great way to get that plasma flowing, buddy, let me tell you.
I should write about social anxiety sometime soon. I might write about that more than once. Good work exercises!
4. Says to go play, but I'm not going to do that. That is contradictory to step 2. If I do something to go play, I might do that for hours and then what will happen? I wont write. So, no number 4! You lost, I'm not doing that. Go Self Control!
5. Change Your Environment
Alright, outside... I'm coming for you.
I'm having a few puffs on my vape outside in a smoking area writing this all on my phone. I started vaping to stop having to smoke cigarettes, I haven't had a cigarette in over 5 years now. That's certainly a success, but due to many new laws and the overall paranoia around vaping, I often get put into areas where people are smoking. I can only imagine how that would mess someone up trying to use a vape to quit.
That's something I can write about! I'm so fucking winning.
I came back and wrote what I wrote on my phone on my computer. That seemed like double the work. Oh well, still feel like a winner.
6. Read a Book
This was a bit of an interesting rabbit hole I went down. I didn't have any books around me, so instead I Googled "book". The first link was for Google Books, I didn't know that existed and it brought me to another search site. I typed in "book" again.
The first Google book that popped up was one called Shiloh that had a cute little puppy on the cover. Aww! A cute puppy, this should at least be fun to delve into.
I clicked on it and it opened a reader, I scrolled down to the start and:
"Soon Enough"
"You shoot its head clean off?" Dara Lynn asks.
WHAT IN THE BLOODY FUCK!? I'm out...
7. Freewrite
Freewriting always sort of baffled me. You are supposed to just sit down and write whatever comes to mind. Let that bitch free and go to town! Okay, lets do it.
Take a deep breath: There once was a man and a woman, they sat together on a bench, waiting on a bus. Buses suck, I hate buses, the entire damn transportation system is a joke and I live in a city that apparently has a good one. You ride a bus because you don't have money for a damn car, so we have to spend like 5 bucks to ride a bus that takes at least 2 fucking hours to get us to work. If you work an 8 hour shift, that means you have 2 hours to get there, 8 hours of work, then 2 hours back. That's 12 fucking hours of dealing with work related crap, and it cost you 5 bucks, a bunch of awkward social interactions, and probably made you smell like sadness. I hate buses.
There, I freewrote! Next step.
Actually.... I'm tired now. I think I hit on some ideas, no more writers block!
If you all want to know some of the other steps suggested, you can head over to the blog post that inspired this and see them yourself. To be honest, I just realized this whole post was getting too long. So, I'll save you from that.
Also, I clicked on the Youtube link....
Step 4, here I come! Thanks for reading!
