Do you guys want to talk about a fun topic?  Let’s do it… writer’s block.  You having fun yet? 🙂

Usually, I’m pumped to begin my writing for the week.  I have a huge list of potential topic areas and find a way to seamlessly fit them into the schedule I have set to make sense to the reader.  Is this blog perfect?  Far from it.  But I can say that I have so much fun writing that the safe consistency makes it even more enjoyable for me to see what you guys enjoy reading.

But some weeks, every topic I have ready to go just looks like a chore.  I have zero pictures lined up and all I want to do is sit back to watch the Blackhawks play in the playoffs.  Even if you don’t like the Blackhawks, I’m sure that a lot of this sounds familiar to many of my fellow writers out there.

So what’s a girl to do?

Keep scrolling for four of my tried and true tips to get yourself out of a writers block funk, and to avoid getting back there in the near future.  Then, please share some of your favorite tips in the comments section below.  I can’t wait to put some of your ideas into practice, too!

1) Don’t wait until the last minute

Over time, I’ve started to notice one, blaring consistency – when I wait until the last minute, there is always something else that I want to do instead of write.  Learn to take the time when inspiration strikes to write your posts and schedule them to be posted at the right time.  If you don’t like using the regular WordPress timer, I’ve loved using Windows Live Writer for this purpose.

2) Carry a journal with you everywhere

This is the one piece of advice that multiple bloggers provided when I was first beginning, and I totally get it now.  Inspiration is literally everywhere, but only when you write it down and let it “marinate” a bit will you have the opportunity to understand where you can align your unique perspective.  You’re writing a blog, so be prepared to share your voice.  If I don’t have my blogging journal with me, I regularly use the notes function on my phone to allow me to remember the topic later on.

3) Clear out the physical clutter

When I was in college, I was strangely able to focus a lot better in a slightly messy room.  But now, I’ve definitely moved on from the ability to isolate the two states of mind.  Now, when my home or work space is a mess, all I can think about is that there’s a pile of laundry to put away, end tables to dust, and a pizza box that I need to take down to the trash room (it’s been several years since college, but some habits remain.)  Clearing out this physical clutter allows the time and space needed to think.  And thinking leads to writing.

4) Have a designated time & space for writing

My favorite time to write is Sunday early afternoons.  I bring a glass of champagne (obviously), my notebook, and my computer to my roof to plan out as many posts as I can for the near future.  Being back in this space always gets me in the mood to write – and I always feel prepared heading into the week ahead!

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

What are your favorite tips for beating writers block?  I’m sure I’ll use them in the near future!

Create a great life!