It’s been a little while due to a blip in my health (one that I hope I fully recover from soon). However, as I now have a little energy, I thought it may be time to move forward. So what to talk about?
Well, before the interruption, I already planned to write about inspiration. I am a sufferer of a complaint that may or may not exist depending on who you talk to. The absolute bane of my life is the curse that is commonly known as writer’s block.
Writer’s block can strike at the most inconvenient of times. Working to a deadline? It’s there. Feeling drained, stressed, or unwell? It’s back again.
Obviously, I can only comment for myself, but these are the two most common reasons for it rearing its ugly head. There is no known cure, but there are sources that can be used to try to combat it.
Music
This usually works best when in the middle of writing a particular piece. For example, I found that whilst writing Blaine in ‘Raising Hell’ listening to rock or alternative music helped considerably. Making a playlist can often help to jolt the mind from the stop sign it’s paused at.
Reading
Reading (poetry or prose) can be vastly influential in moving forward from any rut I’m stuck in. For some reason, I haven’t discovered yet, immersing myself in someone else’s wonderful words helps to clear the cotton wool from my head.
Prompts (On Twitter or from Prompt books/Writing Magazines)
Single words, phrases or pictures can help you to get the ink flowing again. The prompts may be completely unrelated to whatever WIP you may be working on, but they can be useful in getting started again from nothing. There are many available on Twitter (as there probably are on Instagram, which I don’t currently have) all with their own hashtags. If you are a keen poet there are gems such as #vss365, #poetryprompts. If your passion is prose then @SPrompts and #prompts or #writingprompts may be a good place to start.
Getting out of the House
It could be a trip to the seafront, hills, or even for a thirty-minute walk around the block, but getting outside is one of the things that helps the most. There’s the fresh air that clears dusty lungs and cobwebbed heads, of course. But, being out amongst other people, or choosing to take a solitary stroll in nature can do wonderful things to inspire you. The smallest observations can spark the biggest ideas.
These are only a few of the ways that you can find your groove again, and really just the ones that help me the most. I hope they help someone like they’ll help me get started again soon.
Take care until next time…
T.F. Webb 