How to Get Over Writer's Block

Even published, professional creative writers who devote blocks of time each day to cranking out pages of polished prose can find themselves without a muse on occasion. Writing words is easy, but telling a story takes skill and a mind free to explore eventualities. When stuck, the words become bland and the story flounders. Here are a few suggestions to help open up the floodgate of creativity when working on new or in-progress pieces.

1. Explore your character's world by pretending to be in it. Step away from your computer, and stand in front of a window or open door. What does your character see through your eyes? How does their personality filter what you see? While you may see trees and a pond, a neurotic, high-strung character may see grass that needs to be cut, birds making a mess of the car paint, and a walkway that needs to be raked. Work those observations of the outdoors into the character's routine.

2. Even if you're not a great artist, paint or draw a picture of your main character. Take your time and be meticulous with the details. How do you imagine your character holding their mouth? Would they be excited about being immortalized in art? What do you believe they're thinking while they "pose" for you in your head? Use that rendering in your work to describe the characters looks, expressions, and movements.

3. Open up a music catalog. What would you imagine to be on the soundtrack to your story? Perhaps something jazzy to accompany the tale of a woman who "has it all." Or maybe some heavy metal for an angst-ridden teen with a lot on his mind. What music would your character slip into their player when they've returned home from work? Understanding your character's music preferences will help free up ways to discuss their mood and ambitions.

4. Go for a walk or drive with your camera and take pictures of buildings, urban decay, and open spaces that resonate to you. At home review the images and try to fixate on one or two. What stands out about the image? Can you tell a story from it? For example, if you've taken a picture of a vine-covered dilapidated barn, you could write a story speculating on how it came to be abandoned and in that state.

Look for creative venues other than your writing to help improve your ability to craft stories. Exercising different artistic aspects will help you better engage with your characters and setting so that you write a detail-rich story that feels like it was plucked from real life.