Wrangling Writer's Block

Writer's block is not only the most dreaded condition a writer can face, its ambush-like arrival creates undue feelings of helplessness and hopelessness in its victims causing a seemingly simple project to become an angst-filled laborious chore. So whether you're just not feeling it or you're looking to add a little more pizzazz to your writing, there are a number of strategies to combat the pesky ailment.

Build a Personalized Library of Resources

With every writer having a distinct style, it's important to have resources to draw upon that fit your particular voice. Favorite metaphors and similes are often good building blocks in establishing a foundation, so keep a log of words and phrases that you like to use or would like to use. Recreational reading can serve as an excellent source for expanding your writing prowess. Movies are another good source. Make sure a notebook is handy to write down sentences that you find especially affecting.

As business writers, we often have several projects going at once, so make the most of your assignments by finding ways that they can serve as idea springboards for one another.

Other Popular Ways of Curtailing the Blinking Cursor

There have been a myriad of articles and books written on the subject of overcoming writer's block. Some other tried-and-true remedies that can help you regain your creative footing include:

Writing with different instruments--you don't always have to be tied to your keyboard--try it the old-fashioned way with a pen or pencil
Taking a walk--sometimes just taking a break helps to get that stream-of-consciousness thing going that allows for new ideas to be born
Writing in a different location
Listening to a particular type of music that you like to help relax you and gets idea flowing
Reading unrelated material--a short diversion is effective in breaking the hung -up cycle
Collecting additional information on the subject
Writing a summary or outline of your project--creating a big picture perspective can get you back on track

Remember that no matter how times writer's block darkens your door, being at a loss for words is only a temporary state!

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