| Writer's Block. It's the grizzly bear of writing problems, | | | | yourself some time to process the emotions will give |
| casually pushing over any trees you climb up to try | | | | you more inspiration, not less. |
| and avoid it. | | | | The Fix! |
| Sooner or later as a writer you're going to confronted | | | | Sleep is the first order of the day (and night) for |
| by a blank page (or these days, screen) and have no | | | | writers. None of us get enough sleep unless we're |
| idea what to write. It's frustrating, painful and frightening. | | | | unemployed. Everyone needs differing amounts of |
| It's also really no big deal at all. Saying it never happens | | | | sleep, but usually if you're getting less than 6 hours a |
| doesn't really help. Certainly there are people who | | | | night, you will be If you're having issues with sleeping |
| never seem touched by it; they are the exception not | | | | then take a look at this article posted on Family Doctor, |
| the rule. Don't feel bad if one of your writing buddies | | | | they cover your sleeping environment in more depth |
| says they can write 3000 words without even really | | | | than I ever could. Truth be told though, we all know we |
| trying. The trick is that you can too. There are three | | | | need to sleep. If your sleep problems are ongoing, you |
| main causes, and three easy fixes for writers block. | | | | may need to speak to a doctor. What should you do if |
| Over the next few days I'll go into these causes and | | | | you have a short term exhaustion problem and a blank |
| their cures. | | | | white screen looming in front of you? You can start |
| Cause 1: You're tired | | | | with coffee. It certainly won't help in the long term, but it |
| Just written 6000 words in one hit? Including a hyper | | | | will boost your mood. Good quality coffee also |
| intense scene where the protagonist is in mortal | | | | contains high levels of anti oxidants that can help with |
| danger? It's midnight, go to bed. Writer's Block is most | | | | your overall stress level. You can also get caffeine pills |
| commonly encountered by over worked, stressed out | | | | and energy drinks, but if you can stomach it (and |
| writers trying to force themselves to write brilliant | | | | afford it!) then high quality coffee is the best caffeine |
| prose. Writing is a lot like lifting weights, your body | | | | delivery system you can get. |
| needs time, and rest, to adapt to the demands being | | | | After a couple of days of relying on coffee though, it's |
| placed on it. You can build up to it. Jumping straight into | | | | going to start losing its effect. If you're going to be |
| 2000 word days will cook your brain like a microwave | | | | losing sleep, or are under any kind of elevated stress |
| pizza and leave you staring, drooling and crying in front | | | | for more than a few days, then it is worth considering |
| of your laptop. Being over tired can also obviously | | | | taking an adaptogen. |
| come from other things in your life. I spent some time | | | | Now, obviously I'm not a doctor, nor a medical |
| trying to write, working full-time, lifting weights and | | | | practitioner of any kind, so ALL advice in this regard |
| training for a Mixed Martial Arts fight. I got injured (no | | | | needs to go via your doctor before you take it on |
| one was surprised) and when I went back and looked | | | | board. |
| at what I was writing, very little of it made any sense. I | | | | Read that bit again. |
| was simply doing far too much and pushing my body | | | | Okay. Now, adaptogens are a class of herb that helps |
| and my mind far beyond what I was used too. | | | | your body adapt to stressful situations, such as |
| These are fairly obvious, but emotional exhaustion is | | | | increased exercise, lack of sleep or...writing deadlines. I |
| the one that takes the biggest toll on the writers I | | | | have found the best results with a herb called Rhodiola |
| know, me included. This cause is particularly bad | | | | Rosea; however Siberian ginseng and true ginseng are |
| because of the idea that you need to suffer to write | | | | other popular options. These don't give you a boost in |
| (which is bull puckey by the way). Sitting down to write | | | | the same way that stimulants do, they just help your |
| after having a huge argument with your spouse or a | | | | body return to a happy baseline (homeostasis for |
| death in the family may give you inspiration to write, | | | | those of you who've studied some biology). |
| but if you're trying to write a novel (as opposed to | | | | Stay tuned for part two when I look at what to do |
| writing for catharsis, which is different) then giving | | | | when you're not tired, just stuck! |