There are plenty of posts out there that give advice about writer's block for you to choose from.
And they're probably all excellent. You could certainly get some fabulous tips from them.
However, I have another approach. It comes from actually writing to overcome writer's block. Flexing your writing muscles even before you start to write.
Just like the old cars who needed a starter handle to get the engine going, a writer needs to start writing something, anything, before they can properly write.
And the best way to do this is via commenting. See the infographic below:
And here's some code you could paste into your own posts (via the text mode) if you want to share this Infographic with your readers.
Learn to stay focused
Writer's block doesn't mean staring at a blank page waiting for your motivation to kick in. You could be staring for a long time before anything positive happens. Especially if there is no stimulation to help you.
The best place to find inspiration is from other people's writing. This doesn't have to be major pieces of work. Find a good blog or look up a worthy follower's social stream. Go where there is relevant action to get some ideas.
Now flex those writing muscles by commenting on the post or social update. Really focus on doing a good job. This doesn't mean writing reams, commenting is an exercise in précis writing anyway. Just say enough to make your comment worthy so the author will love you for it.
Try timing yourself
One writer's block tip I learned was to set a kitchen timer, say for about 5 minutes, and then just start writing whatever comes into your head. Doesn't matter what you write, just anything. This is just starting the process of writing, and once the timer goes, you won't want to stop.
For commenting, you will have to allow yourself a bit more time. That's why I suggested 20 minutes in the infographic. You will need time to properly read the blog post or the complete social thread before you think of something to comment about.
And once you've got into the swing of commenting, you won't want to stop. It is actually quite therapeutic to condense what you want to say within a small space. Or alternatively pad it out in a more meaningful way.
Express your emotions
The process of writing is a healing process, especially if you are able to express what you think or feel. The world reacts to emotion, even though many people fail to realise this. But give them a chance to say what they feel, and sometimes you cannot stop them.
Emotion is something we all suffer from, and therefore can relate to. A good writer can easily get a reaction to something that's sad, funny, outrageous, annoying - which ultimately will result in a flurry of comments.
Let yourself be persuaded by emotions in your writing. Commenting is a great place to practice this. Writing what you feel can stimulate other ideas, which will help you to overcome your writer's block.
Find and help a friend
As a writer, I'm sure you know other writers who have a blog. When did you last visit it to read their latest posts? Really this should be a regular activity, especially if you want to keep these friends.
Do a spate of reading and commenting before starting work on your own writing. It's like greasing your wheels before they have to turn. And your friends' blogs are the best and safest places to do this.
And of course your friends will love you for this feedback! You should also get a quiet glow of altruism knowing you've improved the popularity factor of these blogs, which should attract the attention of more readers, let alone the search engines.
Go somewhere different
A change of scene does wonders for inspiration and ideas. This could be taking the dog for a walk, or even just sitting in the garden appreciating the flowers. Sometimes doing something completely different can do the trick.
While you are doing this, you could also be composing suitable comments in your head. This will make the process of commenting that much easier when you do it. Your subconscious will be working overtime, so when it comes to writing, comments or whatever, you are more than ready.
Giving yourself space to breathe, or alternative stimuli through a variety of things to look at, will result in new content you can express in your writing. Sitting looking at the four walls of your office will do nothing for your writer's block.
Just start reading
Ideas come from many sources. There's no need to go online to find this, why not sit down with a good book instead. However, if you prefer to browse the internet for your inspiration, have a list of relevant and worthy sites to visit on such an occasion.
Reading other people's stuff not only gives you ideas, but shows you another way of writing, a turn of phrase, alternative vocabulary, a different point of view. If this is taken from a blog post, why not show your appreciation through the comment box?
Acknowledging good writing in this way will help you to form new writing relationships with more authors. We all need to have good connections, so finding a worthy blogger and letting them know you approve of their writing can only be a good thing.
Does commenting eliminate your writer's block?
Have you tried commenting as a method of overcoming your writer's block? You don't have to write a lot, you're exercising your brain muscle by condensing the content into a small space, and you're having to think really hard what you're writing about in relation to the original post.
So next time you're stuck, try and spot of commenting (and reading) first. Has it made a difference to your writing? Do you feel more energised to start writing? Do you feel you're practicing your writing skills in this way?
We would love to hear from you in the comment box below...
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Great article! All writers experience writer’s block moments when one simply struggles to put ideas into words.
Also, please read my blog on How to Beat Writer’s Block
Thank you…
Thank you for your comment ReadersMagnet. I have approved the link to your post.