Some of us suffer from writer's block. In my case, though, it can't really be called suffering, since I end up doing all the fun stuff I'd rather do instead of writing. OF COURSE I can find time to hit the coffee shop or ice cream counter!! Even Solitaire takes on a new importance when I should be writing, but "just need a little while to think". Further, I can veer off into these sorts of distractions at any point in the writing process, so I should probably say that I luxuriate in "topic identification-outlining-writing-revising-editing block". I'll just refer to this as "The Block" from now on. Since The Block is a frequent occurrence for me, I have had to develop a range of techniques with which to combat it. I hope you can find some of these strategies useful in your own endeavors! "About what should I write?" Or, for those of us that actually communicate in the vernacular, "What should I write about?" Identifying a topic can be trickier than it sounds, mostly because of the infinite range of the possible. In most cases, starting with big divisions and then gradually narrowing your focus is helpful. My daughter wants to do something for the science fair, and she has a similar issue. WHAT PART of science? In her case, we were quickly able to identify "something about animals" as a first step, then dogs in particular, then the ways that dogs communicate. We did have rule out some areas, like bodily functions, to keep us on track for an elementary science fair. If you eventually plan to write a number of articles, keep all the ideas you generate in this process. You may not have to start from ground zero very often. Finding a title One hint here - go directly from your topic to a list of ideas about the topic! It is far too easy (and much more FUN!) to start working on a neat title right away. Unfortunately, two problems arise if you do the title first. You can get stuck trying to find just the right title, and create another instance of The Block for yourself. The second problem may not apply to you, but I've discovered that my writing has a tendency to veer off into unintended territory, which actually improves my work in many cases. If you have already constrained yourself with just the right title, you have to manhandle your writing back into submission rather than letting creative juices flow. The outline Expanding your topic into an outline can get pretty intimidating. I tend to skip this step altogether, or go back and do it after I wrote most of the article. Some of us do better by just brain-dumping into a keyboard (or you may actually prefer those archaic sheets of paper some people used to use) without thinking too much about it. Going back and organizing our thoughts later provides the structure. I spent at least one enjoyable evening in college literally cutting up a paper into sentence-sized confetti and then taping it back together in an order that made sense. However, I tend to score off the scale "Global" on the Meyer's Briggs, so I'm probably not very typical in this respect (or others, for that matter, but I digress). For those of you more linear thinkers, an outline can provide you with a plan to follow; you can go back over the outline in several passes fleshing it out and adding detail, commentary, punctuation, and the like. If you find you just sit and stare at the screen at this stage, recruit a friend to come sit next to you for awhile. She can just read a book or knit or fix the car or something, but she should shout "TYPE" every time she notices the keys aren't clicking. This will force you to at least put SOMETHING down and eventually even random keystrokes can give you good ideas. Revising and editing Revising and editing can be farmed out to a professional, in which case I strongly recommend you become familiar with the "Comment" and "Track changes" functions in Microsoft Word. If you actually hire someone to give you advice, it's reasonable to think you should actually read the comments and follow them or consider quite carefully why you choose not to do so. Especially if you are working on a large project like a book, look for a book editor, dissertation editor, or some similar service. A good service will also provide references. Revising and editing your own work is usually best done after you have ignored it for awhile - another REALLY great place for The Block to kick in! One thing that many of us discover is that we see what we expect, and can accidentally ignore our own typos and errors because we know what we wanted to have there. A well-qualified editor can also identify grammatical and word use errors that you made simply because you don't know the rules or the subtle effects of specific word meanings. Dissertation editing services can really help you polish up a thesis or dissertation, especially since you are probably brain fried at this point. At the very least, grab a friend (or enemy, if it's a long boring piece) and have them read it for you. Tell them to ask you questions about everything that pops up. You will find your weak arguments and awkward sentence constructions more easily this way! Another option is to read the thing out loud. This is especially fun if you have teenagers and want to see if their eyes will actually get stuck rolled back into their heads, but even if you have to simply listen to yourself, you will find it easier to identify awkward sentences and strange punctuation when you slow down and read aloud. Block out The Block In the end, most people would simply say that overcoming The Block is primarily a matter of perseverance and discipline, and they would be right. For those of us somewhat lacking in those traits, the ideas discussed here can be a starting point to get going on some actual work instead of enjoying our Block at the ice cream shop!
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