The Toughest Part About Blogging

Blogging is about more than typing some words and submitting them to your blog or website. It is more than giving your opinion or sharing valuable information with others. If you want it to matter, blogging will require some advanced planning and some research. If you want it to be read by anybody else, it needs to be able to be found. If you expect someone to find you, you have to offer what they are looking for. It takes work to figure out what people want to read and present it in a manner in which it will be found. Sometimes tedious work, but not hard work. The only hard part is figuring out what to do when your mind goes blank. I’m talking about “writer’s block”.

Writer’s block happens to everyone at one time or another. Our brain freezes. It constantly drifts off topic or remains blank. It can last a long period of time or just a couple of hours. Either way, it is frustrating and cuts down on your productivity.

What causes writer’s block is varied. Discomfort and/or clutter in your work area can be distracting and push your mind off topic. Sickness and worry are also major writing distractions. Maybe you have little interest in the topic of your writing and simply cannot get into it. Whatever the reason, the worst thing you can do is dwell on it.

Focusing all your attention on your writer’s block will not make it go away. In fact, it almost seems like “if you think about it, it will come”. The more you dwell on it the stronger the block becomes. Sometimes I can easily get past it by taking my mind off the topic and doodling. Like when I am stuck trying to come up with an angle for a certain piece I let my mind drift just like it wants to. Then I start doodling about nothing. Little flowers, sunsets, stars, the alphabet… anything that is easy for me to scribble down. From there I scratch down words related to my topic and before I know it I have been brainstorming and suddenly have an angle for my story. *I think the key for me here is the doodling first because it gets my mind off the fact that I am stuck before putting my brain back in the position to “think.”

What else can you do if you find yourself the victim of blocked creativity?

· Clean up your workspace. It is okay to have stuff on your desk to enjoy and even inspire you. But clutter is distracting without you even realizing it. An tidy and open area allows the energy and ideas to flow.

· Make your work area comfy. Now I am not saying to run out and buy the latest trendiest office chair, but you should be able to sit comfortably for a period of time without getting sore or cramped. Have enough free desk space to spread out your notes and materials. The temperature should be comfortable, and your surroundings should be quiet.

· Take frequent stretch breaks. No matter how comfy your work spot, staying in one position will lead to discomfort which is a distraction which we know hinders creativity. Many times when I am stuck on an idea I get up and take a walk. The stretching gets my body flowing and a simple jaunt to the kitchen for a glass of water has my brain back in business by the time I get back to my chair.

· Avoid burnout by making your OWN distractions. A long, involved article, especially one of little interest to you, can wipe you out. Both your energy and creativity will leave the building. When this happens, don’t force yourself to get to work on the next assignment. Distract yourself from your exhaustion. Read some gossip blogs, play some internet games, check out your Facebook. IT IS OKAY! You wouldn’t let a boss work you to death without breaks would you? So why do it to yourself? The refreshed brain power you get from it will get you through your deadlines quicker than if you forced yourself to stay on task and struggle. Just make sure you don’t get lost in your distractions. Set a timer for ten to fifteen minutes so that you don’t accidentally Twitter your morning away.

· Don’t strive for perfection. This is a biggie for me! I love words and often get stuck in a sentence because I can’t come up with the exact word I want. The magic word! The word that pops and makes it all come together! I love that word but it sometimes plays hide and seek in my brain and I go crazy trying to find it. I have taught myself to just put any old hum drum word in so that I don’t waste any more time and that pesky magic word always shows itself when it realizes I am no longer playing the game.

If none of these tips for writer’s block helps you, the best thing to do is give yourself permission to stop working. Maybe for the day, maybe just for the morning, whatever is appropriate for you. Of course you don’t want to lose productivity, but how productive is it really to sit and stare at a blank screen while all around you are things going undone? Sometimes that permission alone is all that is needed to lift your creative block.

Author Info: Cin Langston www.her-family-blog.com

• Related Posts
• Bookmark
• Tags