Tips for Beating Writer’s Block, Part Four

We hope this post finds you proceeding smoothly along the self-publishing road!

If, however, you’ve been hitting a few bumps (or roadblocks!) lately, you’ve come to the right place. Today we present our fourth batch of suggestions for staying the course when the obstacles seem insurmountable, and when writer’s block has you thinking of a career change.

Start in the middle of your project.

In our first installment, we suggested skipping over a problem section of your story and returning to it later. Well, this suggestion can be put to use in other ways, too. Do you know where your characters should end up in Act Two but just don’t know how to get them there?

To borrow a Star Wars reference, do you know what to do once everyone boards the Millennium Falcon, but just don’t know how to get them to Mos Eisley?

Then put Act One aside for now! Start in the middle and proceed from there. You can always backtrack later, and you might even find that the middle was a better place to begin your story! Or, events that happen later in the story may suggest seeds that you should have planted earlier or payoffs for subplots that you will need to introduce in the beginning.

Take a break.

In most cases, we believe in having a set writing schedule and sticking to it. On the other hand, it’s better to change your writing time for the day than to simply not write at all. Writer’s block can be a stressful thing, and exercise is one of the best remedies for stress.

So get out from behind the computer and head for the gym, walking trail, tennis court, or pool. A little physical activity may be all you need to get some distance from your writing project and see it with a fresh set of eyes when you return. And hey, it never hurts to get more exercise!

[Side note: you should try to incorporate exercise into your schedule anyway. Writing, while mentally stimulating, isn’t the most physical activity, and a daily dose of exercise will help keep your body and mind performing at their best.]

WestBow Press authors who’d like to share a 350-600 word experience related to the self-publishing of their books are invited to do so through the Blog Guidelines Page. WestBow Press reserves the right to edit stories for content, grammar, punctuation, and length.

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