Menopausal Mother

I'm thrilled to have a very special guest on my site today who is here to discuss something most writers experience at one time or another during their careers----writer's block. As a matter of fact, I feel like I'm going through a bit of a dry spell myself since most of my time lately has been focused on query letters and proposals. When my guest writer today asked what topic I was interested in, I jumped at the chance to get her feedback on writer's block.

Please welcome my dear friend Starr Bryson, author of the blog, The Insomniac's Dream. She has some helpful advice to share with writers like me who are stuck in a writing rut!

There's another reason I wanted to feature Starr today on my blog….I'm EXCITED to announce the "coming soon launch" of her new company, Starry Knight Word Slayers! She offers writing, editing, social media marketing, and promotional services for authors. How cool is that? If you're working on a book, this is the woman you need to contact. Starr is an exceptional writer and has a sharp eye for detail. I've been an admirer of her work for a long time. Do yourself a favor and check out her website---I know who I'll be calling on to help me with book promotions from now on!





There is one thing that we writers fear above all else. More terrifying than a rejection letter, more horrifying than a bad review or critique, certainly more heartbreaking than receiving your piece back from the editor torn to shreds; the dreaded writer’s block.

Writer’s block creeps in like a whispered fog through the window cracks, a ghost on the edge of your vision to rob you of all creativity, steal your words, and muffle your Muse. It drifts like smoke to blur your vision and rob your voice of the story that was on the edge of creation.

Writer’s block is an ugly parasite, a thief, our worst nightmare.

Yet, there are those who still say they do not believe in writer’s block, as if it were a fairy tale told to bad writers at the midnight hour to keep us on our very best behavior. A monster invented only for a campfire tale, and not a tangible beast. Write, they say, and you do not have writer’s block. There is no such thing, only excuses, laziness and distractions.

But I have been on the dark side of the night, sitting paralyzed at my keyboard, awaiting the words to spill out of me and instead receiving only mockery; a haunting laughter that rings through my ears and echoes in the halls where once my Muse and I would dance.

We’ve all felt the cold touch of writer’s block. Dare I say, even those who claim they do not believe in the myth. How do you shake off the shadow, resuscitate the muse, and get the words to flow once more?

When the words won’t come, don’t sit at the computer and stress. Going for a walk is one of the best ways to shake off those writer’s blues. Just put one foot in front of the other, free your mind to work through whatever issues are blocking the words. Some of my best ideas come to me when I’m out for a walk.

This is a favorite tactic of mine, even when I don’t have writer’s block. Next to walking, the shower is where all of my greatest ideas happen. This is a soothing, relaxing activity that will ease all of your sore muscles and those kinks in your neck from hours at the computer. Don’t think – let your mind wander and the words will come.

Don’t look at me cross-eyed with that murderous gleam. This is a fantastic way to allow your mind to do the real digging. Standing at the counter with a sink full of sudsy water, mindlessly washing dishes while staring off out the window is a perfect way to open that part of your mind where the Muse hides. If you hate dishes, try vacuuming, I find this be a soothing, almost hypnotic chore and I’ve had many breakthroughs while pushing that sweeper back and forth across the carpet while losing myself in the designs it makes in the threads.

Nothing inspires us to create quite like reading the stories of other writers. Lose yourself in someone else’s story, and your story will creep back in, whispering gently that it wants to be told. Try reading something in the same genre that you write, and if you’re really stuck, go far out and read something vastly different than your usual style.

Force yourself to write through the block. Keep pecking at the piece you’re currently working on, write something new, or try stream of consciousness. Allow the words vomit out of you, even if they’re awful and the worst thing you’ve ever written. Eventually they’ll make something beautiful.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re not the first writer to suffer from this malady, and you certainly won’t be the last. It is not a reflection on you was a writer, but rather a side affect of having a creative mind. Sometimes, it just needs to shut down for repairs or reboot.

I struggle with the beast often, and I’ve put many a “work in progress” on the back burner when I was stuck. They wait patiently for my return.

In the meantime, I’ve made it my mission in life to help other authors. Taking my passion for reading, writing, and absolute admiration for self-published authors, I’m launching a new business that encompasses my freelancing career and adds a new exciting twist: book promotions for indie authors.

You can read the story behind the business on the Starry Knight Word Slayers Indiegogo crowd funding page. We love donations, because they’ll help us launch, but if you can’t spare a buck, we love shares, too. And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on the campaign.