We all have those days or weeks when we sit at our computers staring at a blank page and thinking: "Ugh, do I have to?" If you're having difficulty writing, whether because of a lack of motivation, distraction, feeling stuck, or anything else, there are a few things you could do to make yourself feel better and be more productive in the long run. Here are seven ideas:
Engage in other creative activites. You could paint a picture, draw a cartoon, crochet, knit, make holiday decor, sing a song, bake a cake and decorate it, do a puzzle, whatever it is that sparks your interest. Creativity comes in different forms, and sometimes you need to take a break from the writing form of creativity to do something else.
Listen to Music. Music is a powerful tool to engage your brain and enhance focus. Put on your favorite tunes, let the music guide your imagination, and empathize with the song's message. Engage all your senses with your imagination. Listen to the music and lyrics, visualize, smell, and feel the environment the song portrays. Music is a fantastic resource to stimulate your creativity.
Get out of the house. Getting out of the house (or wherever you typically write) can reengage your mind. Being in the same space all the time can become monotonous, and your brain can get bored. Experiencing a different environment and people-watching can give you ideas for your writing.
Address Distractions. If something is distracting you, deal with it. If you're thinking about grocery shopping, get it done. If a pile of laundry has been sitting there for a week, take 15 minutes and put it away. The key is to remove distractions as much as possible. If you need to step away for a bit to handle chores or other work, do it. By addressing distractions, you can maintain your focus and productivity
Read a Book. Reading is an excellent tool when you don't feel like writing because it keeps you engaged in creative thinking and imagination. Reading gives inspiration and ideas, connects you to your emotions, and reduces stress. It also helps your brain engage in flexibility and future-oriented thinking. That is to say, it enables you to navigate different ideas to move a plot forward. Those ideas don't have to be what actually happens in the book you are reading, but they could help you in what you are writing.
Interact with People. On occasion, talking to other people is necessary and helpful, even though it may be uncomfortable for some. One rule: Don't talk about your writing. Talk about literally anything else. Get your mind to think about a different topic for a while so that this daily dose of human interaction serves the purpose fulfilling other needs. Need some topics? Here are a few: Favorite vacations, silly stories about friends, dates, or family, have a debate about something (try not to get too heated if your friend thinks that mint chocolate chip is better than fudge swirl), favorite memories, TV shows, movies, imaginary superpowers, or weird dreams. Not only will talking about something else give your brain something simulating and different to think about, it could also give you story ideas.
Step away from your writing. Somewhat similar to number four, but in this case, take an extended break from your work. This may be difficult if you have a deadline but take as much time away as possible. If that's only an hour, great! If you can afford a few days, even better! Sometimes, stepping away can make you more productive in the long term because it gives you time to focus on other things, and by doing that, you may even come up with ideas that you wouldn't have by sitting in front of your computer.
We all have rough writing days. Do what you can to make them better, even if that means you don't write today.
留言