Ever have one of those times where you are sitting there staring at the computer screen and your mind is as blank as the page in front of you? Maybe you woke up with a “rockin’” story in your mind and you got the beginning and you have that fabulous ending, but now what? You stare and stare and nothing spews forth from the well. OR how about this? You are on a deadline and the story just won’t flow. You’ve got to get that last chapter to your agent or editor and you’re completely stuck. How do you break through that wall?

There are a gazillion websites out there that offer help with breaking through writer’s block. I’ll give you a few hints that help me and then I encourage you to explore the World Wide Web. There are a lot of different methods, some even a little strange, that get the job done.

When I’m faced with a mind as blank as my screen I have to get up and walk away. I think what I end up doing is thinking too hard about the story. I go for a walk with my wonderful little dog and talk it out with her. I let my mind wander and think about all the possibilities of where my characters could go with the storyline. She politely listens and gives me her wonderful puppy dog smile and we get exercise in the process. The neighbors think I’m half nuts so I’ve started wearing my Bluetooth headset so it looks like I’m on the phone! :tongue:

What the break does is free the tunnel vision. Many times I think I’m trapped in the one direction I want the story to go and I’m not allowing myself to be open to all the possibilities of where it could go. Don’t limit yourself. Let your thoughts wander and think about your characters. How would they react in a certain situation, and then shake them up a bit. Surprise your readers and go in a different direction.

A lot of times I will talk to my husband or my kids. I’ll tell them my story and tell them I’m blocked and ask for their suggestions. It’s amazing how helpful they are. I’ve gotten total plot shifts from my husband and sometimes I even say to him, “Maybe you should be the writer!” Writers need a support system. If you don’t have a trusted writing buddy, find one. They can get you through more than just writer’s block.

The most important thing you can do as a writer is give yourself permission to pause. Take a break from the keyboard and the hard creative work and go have some fun. Do something new and exciting. Try an activity that you’ve never done before. Just go out and observe the world. Take in the colors, sights and sounds of all that’s around you.

Please share with my readers what you do to bust through writer’s block!