It was a bright summer day. After wrapping up all my work, I made myself a large cup of chamomile tea, switched on the AC for ensuring the room was cool just the way I like and waited for my laptop to start. I had been looking forward to writing today. And when the document opened, I was all ready to type.
I typed ‘Chapter 1’ and pressed Enter.
And then…
Nothing.
Nothing at all.
I was blank like the blank document. Both of us looked at each other with a lot of hope. Just a moment back I had too much in my head to put to paper. But now not a word was coming out.
Ever happened with you? Being bitten by the writer’s block?
How have famous writers like Leo Tolstoy, Virginia Wolf, J. K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, Maya Angelou, Mark Twain overcome the writer’s block?
Here I share some of their strategies for effortless writing -
Discipline of Writing Ritual
This is like training your mind to write at a particular time after following a set routine. It could be as simple as preparing tea or watering plants or reading a book before you sit to write every single day. Jack London recommends to follow a particular daily routine of writing until you hit a word-count. Discipline and consistency always works.
2. Just Write
In this strategy, you write. Yes, you write without a break. Write whatever that comes to your mind. Keep writing non-stop everyday for a particular time period or until you reach your word-count. From my experience, ‘Just Write’ works. Write until the words start flowing like water. Become the highway for the universe to use it for conveying the story.
3. Take a break
Neil Gaiman recommends taking a break if you aren’t getting what to write next in your book. Don’t write and do something else for a few days. Then, take a print of whatever you have written and rewrite it. When nothing works, take a break. Go for a walk. Do something else. Let your mind expand and create more space.
4. Stop Halfway
Stop writing before you go empty with words. Write only halfway. And let the remaining brew into your mind. Like tea. And think about what next. Then write halfway and repeat. This way, you will always have something to write.
5. Rewrite
Go back to what you have written and think again about what you have written. Is it good enough? Since you are at a block, probably what you have written is not possible and leading it to a dead end. So, rewrite it, create a new situation and remove the block that has been created.
6. Set Intent
This is much like tip 1. Follow a ritual. Think about how you are going to write those 500 words like a walk on the cake. It will be a beautiful smooth ride. Visualise and set the intent a day before you sit to write. Next day, words will flow when you sit to write.
Apply these strategies. If you liked them, join my VIP group for authors https://www.facebook.com/groups/1635830116541059/
