Guest Blogger: The Red Wolf

For this week's post, The Red Wolf from over at RedWolfsRoom is here to share some very valuable tips for when you're facing writer's block:


Solutions for Writer's Block

A lot of people are participating in NaNoWriMo which has a deadline.  Deadlines can make people stressed and consequently, become blocked in their writing.  Here are some solutions that have helped me:

Golden Rule: Don't Panic. Whether you're writing for NaNoWriMo or some other project with a deadline, do not allow the deadline to overwhelm you.  Focus on the project and get something down on paper or virtual paper.  Don't worry about what you write; you can always go back over it and edit.  

Change Your Environment. We can become restless in our usual writing spot even if we're not being interrupted.  Try to find another comfortable spot (another room in your house/apartment, library, park, forest, coffee shop, etc.) and make sure you bring everything you need.  I recommend bringing a pencil case with all your stuff (sharpener, pencils, erasers and pens) and lots of paper, preferably attached in a notebook or contained in a pocket folder.  If you're not going to write the old-fashioned way, then with your laptop/iPad, bring a cooling pad, a set of earphones and a USB key so you can save your work on a back-up device (WiFi isn't always reliable for internet connection).  Make sure you have plenty of water, snacks, and tissues if you'll be in your new spot for a long time.  

Pull a Hemingway. In A Moveable Feast, Hemingway writes in a café.  He becomes so absorbed in his writing that he is no longer aware of time and when he comes out of his writing, he feels empty.  Hemingway orders food and loses the emptiness.  I did this type of thing for several summers.  For lack of a café, I sat in a mall's food court and wrote all day, from early morning to early evening.  I would write until I had gotten all my ideas out of my head (because if I didn't, they would take up space) and then when I was "empty", I would eat, stretch my legs or read some books I had brought along.  I would then find myself "full" with ideas so I'd turn back to writing.    

Refer to Notes, Do Research or Edit.  If you can't figure out what to write next, then refer to your notes to jog your memory as to what direction you wanted your scene to take. If not, then focus on other parts of the story and do research so as to not lose time on the blocked scene.  In that same respect, edit what you have already written. This will clean up your story and make it clearer in your mind, potentially getting you past your block. 

Tip: Writing things out does not always give you a clear idea: Get a white board, a chalk board, or a poster board (whatever you're comfortable with) and make a timeline if you're struggling with chronology; sketch your character(s) if they're blurry in your mind or if they lack depth; make lists or tables so relevant information is grouped together.  All of these things should be kept in your book bible for future reference.

These are all excellent tips to have on hand as we move into the final stretch of NaNoWriMo.

Good luck to everybody also in their final few days of the challenge!
Word count: 31,027/35,700