Tips for Getting the Creative Juices Flowing

All writers find their fingers and minds atrophied by writers' block from time to time. Writing a haiku every day means I need to work through writer's block often. If you're trying to write a haiku, a short story, a snappy thank you card, or anything else, and find you're doing a lot more staring at the computer screen than typing, these tips might help you unthaw your creative talents!

1) Do Something Else. Sometimes sitting in front of a dormant piece of writing is only frustrating. I've found that an activity that occupies my body or hands (going for a run, cleaning, a few mindless hours of desktop Solitaire) but leaves my mind free can help knock loose a few ideas. Click off the monitor and take a walk.

2) Or Follow a Routine. Trying writing at the time of day when you're naturally most focused and fresh. Setting down with your notebook or at your computer at the same time of day can become a mental cue to your brain that it's time to work.

3) Switch Paragraphs. Or lines or articles or whatever. If one particular spot of a story, poem or paper is causing your mental meltdown, put in a place holder (a bold sentence you won't miss when you eventually submit a good copy of your work, saying something like INSERT GENIUS IDEA HERE) and move on to the next. In a larger work you might even make such a drastic move as skipping whole chapters, but so what? Working on another part might make sense of what should come before it.

4) Don't Censor Yourself. When you're really stuck, any idea should be considered a good one. Brainstorm or free write without omitting anything you think of. You never know when an idea you once considered a clunker will come in handy.

5) Seek help. Sharing your work with other writers or friends might yield some great new ideas. Find an online community or in-person writers' group to get some feedback. Or just talk out your ideas and what you've written so far with a buddy.

6) Switch Formats. If your haiku were a news article instead, what would you include? What if your short story were a play? What if your toast was going to be written in thank you note? Experimenting with your work in a different format might provide you with a fresh perspective.

7) Don't Beat Yourself Up. Berating yourself for your lack of written output will only make things worse. You're in good company; both F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ralph Ellison were notorious sufferers of writer's block. Your block will break eventually, too.