There’s Writer’s Block, and then there’s Writer’s Blahs.
I’ve found some ways to break through the former – but not necessarily the latter. If I’m stuck without an idea of what to write, I can freewrite, read another book, take a walk, take a nap, pray. Ideas will start flowing again most of the time.
But the blahs? That complete lack of motivation to write anything – even if I have ideas? I have yet to find a solution.
Sometimes, the same cures for Writer’s Block work for Writer’s Blahs. But not always – even, not often, at least not in my case. When I’d rather scrub my toilet than write a blog post, work on my book, or send another email, I often just need to wait it out.
I’m guessing I’m not the only one – but hoping it isn’t EVERYONE. That’s what blog comments are for – right?
How do YOU deal with writer’s block, or writer’s blahs?
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4 Comments until now.
The blah’s for me are about being bored…vs block is about being confused.
so when I am bored, I cook! I will always find creativity there in the kitchen. I will just stand at the pantry and look at all the things and get curious…use something I have not used in a while and see what I can do new with it…helps me to see new connections and combinations of thoughts and ideas, almost always does the trick!!
My Blah’s (thank goodness you gave me a name for it! That’s really what it feels like!) seem to be about a lack of focus. I have too many things in the works- too many projects I want to work on.
But I can’t work on them all at once so I have to prioritize, make lists and organize my tasks.
Then you hit another problem- you procrastinate saying, “but I’m organizing !”
Eventually you do have to actually write something
(genius, I know!)
I love James Scott Bell’s idea of voice journaling. Let the characters tell you what they want to say.
I come down with a good case of the Blahs when I’m tired. For me, it’s useless to try to write if I’ve not had a good night’s sleep. I’m not sure which side of the brain motivation is located, but I must give that side at least seven hours of sleep that begin before 11 p.m.
Very often, when I’ve cheated and gone to bed after that cut-off hour, I have to take a nap – retirement perk – before I’m fired up to write again.
The Blahs usually hit when I’m needing something emotionally that I’m not getting by the writing. Most often an evening with the Grandkids, or bopping over to a friend’s for a glass of ice tea on the back porch will do it. Sometimes it means I need to get a book on tape and CLEAN THE HOUSE. That tends to reenergize me.