How to open the taps of creativity

When inspiration pops in, I make sure that I have some sort of way of scribbling it down. Whether it be grabbing the nearest serviette, or writing it down onto a meeting agenda. But what do you do when The Muse leaves you lonely and wordless? What do you do when you have Writer’s Block; the mother of all monsters for writers and word-fanatics all over?

Writer’s Block (noun)

Annoying, invisible little torturer that has you staring at your disappointingly empty notepad for ages without as much as a hint of a creative sparkle.

What to do, and what not to do, that is the question! Here follows a couple of tips that will help you climb that blocking wall, and bring it down for good:

1. Do not ponder!
Don’t sit for hours on end trying to force The Muse to hit you with her creative wand. Doing this will make you feel disappointed and frustrated, and the only words that will come of it, will not be of much use.

2. Try to see things from a different perspective.
In life, a lot of things are usual. It is a personal point of view that makes it different. Anyone can write an article about a tree, what makes the articles differ is the way the writers see it.

3. Keep a diary.
Some days The Muse is more generous than others and words can flow like a river, but it can turn into a desert with a flick of the wand. The best thing to do is to keep a diary.
By doing this, you can recall on events and emotions. You can then compare them to figure out what triggers your “Block Switch”, or to check if you are still sane.

4. Let the story write itself.
Scribble down words, and let them lead you. If you try to control the process, the words may lose their sparkle. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the write!

5. Build a puzzle.
This is a great way to tempt The Muse’s wand! Pick random words from a favourite book or even the dictionary, and start building! This will broaden your boundaries, and show you what your pen is worth!

These are just a couple of tips that can help lengthen your ladder and get you one step closer to getting over the Block Wall. Follow these, and be sure to see The Muse beat the Block Monster on the head with her magic wand!