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	Cures For Writer's Block
	by Susan Molthop

Revised August 3, 2007

There are 2 kinds of writer’s block – the kind that hits when a deadline looms and your brain gets paralyzed by the stress – and the general kind that "just happens" when you sit down at the computer and your mind either wanders off or falls asleep, leaving your fingers stranded at the keyboard.

I can’t help with the first kind, but these four tools can save you from the second . Here’s how:

YOUR JOURNAL
Forget about the project that isn’t cooperating and open your journal. Read through the entries until something sparks your interest, then write about it. You might end up developing a character, outlining a plot, describing a sunset -- it doesn’t matter as long as you’re writing.

YOUR NOTEBOOK
Maybe you’re in more of an organizing mood than a creative mood. That’s okay, too. Work on expanding your writer’s notebook. Do you have a file (on and off the computer) for plots, characters, settings, words, phrases, snippets of dialog, ideas for articles, book proposals? Do you have a notebook for writing hints, tips, and craft? When was the last time you updated your list of potential markets or went searching for new ones.

You may not always be able to make yourself write, but you can make yourself work at writing. As soon as you get into the "groove", you may discover the creative juices are flowing again. Then, you can dump the "busy-work" and get back to writing.

RESEARCH
Maybe you’re in an intellectual mood. Why not do some research? I’ll bet there’s a pet project percolating in the back of your mind that you’ve never had time to tackle. Why not now? Hop in the car and head for the library or do a little creative surfing. When I got restless, a few weeks ago, I started a page of Virtual Tours for Fun4TheMoney. These are a the next best thing to a real museum tour.

Maybe you can trick yourself, by researching a topic that’s related to the blocked writing. The block might be caused by something that doesn’t ring true in your writing, or a superficial treatment of something that deserves better. A little "deep research" could give you the ammo to blast that block.

REAL LIFE
If your writing is going stale, maybe it’s time for some fresh air. If you’ve already written about everything that’s ever happened in your life, it’s time for some new experiences. Think about the project that’s causing the block. What could you do that’s related to what you want to write? Are you writing about an old person? Jump in the car and go visit a nursing home. Too much trouble? Jump on the Internet and seek out a senior citizens' message board. Lurking can give you a whole lot of insight. No matter what person, place, or thing you’re trying to write about, I’ll bet there are people online right now, discussing it with their cyber-friends. Real-world experience is best, but secondhand reality is a whole lot better than staring at a blank page.

If nothing works, you may be trying to write something that doesn’t want to be written. I started a novel about a woman on a cruise. I got her onto the ship, but then she went into her stateroom and wouldn’t come out. I nudged, begged, threatened, and stewed about it, but she just didn’t want to be written, so I left here there. She may have jumped ship and found herself in someone else’s book, but I’ll never know. I moved on to other projects, and maybe that’s what you should do, too. You don’t have to finish everything you start, but you do have to KEEP WRITING!

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