It’s the first day of NaNoWriMo2021, so naturally that seems like a good time to procrastinate and write a new blog. Ha. 😉 I’m supposed to be working on my middle-grade project, but here we are.
There’s nothing better than being in the zone and having the words flowing freely. Sometimes my brain moves faster than my fingers can type. And other times, I stare at the screen completely paralyzed, convinced I’ll never write another comprehensible thought again.
Writer’s block.
We all get it. Inevitably, eventually, everyone hits a wall. I thought I’d put together a (non-comprehensive) list of ideas of things to do when it happens to you.
- Read, just for pleasure.
- Help others with critiques to get out of your own head.
- Study the craft (watch webinars, read books, listen to podcasts).
- Give your website a fresh new look.
- Write a blog.
- Start a new project altogether, submit to a magazine, enter a contest, or participate in a pitch event.
- Revise a current project. Just the other day, I wasn’t sure what my middle-grade protagonist should do next, so I went back to chapter one, and now the “sun casts a pink hue across the early-morning sky.” Hey, progress is progress, right?
- Send out a query or two on a project that’s complete.
- Engage in social media, not only to build a following, but to grow meaningful relationships.
- And last, but not least, step away and do something else you enjoy that’s completely unrelated to writing.
I hope this helps. Happy Writing (or not)! 💛
Jessica Hinrichs 