By Freya D'Amico
All my journals start the same way. The blank page stares at me menacingly, and the little voice inside my head says, "Why even try? You're not going to write anything good anyway." It can be crippling at times, and we all have writer's block every now and again. We know as soon as we put a pen to the page and just start writing, it'll be over, but how to get over that first hump is the hardest part.
If you're in the unfortunate grip of a block, try these tips and see if they free your mind, and fingers, to get writing again.
Make your heart go pitter patter
Shake off however much time you've let accumulate from "when you should have started writing." The longer you think about starting something, but don't act on it, the more insurmountable it seems to become. But really, it's the same amount of work it was the very first time you considered it, which is probably a much less than you think. Get away from the guilty feeling of "well if I haven't done it now, I won't" and back to the reasons you love writing in the first place. Was part of that interview extraordinary but the intro is just not there? Start where it's easiest, and work your way back around to the beginning.
Do battle with your critic
Think of all the reasons why you haven't started yet. Really let your critic loose. Write them down in a list. Close your eyes, and tear up the list. This should help clear your head of all the negative reasons for not following or pursuing something you really care about. And once you(literally) discard them, chances are none of those reasons will seem that important anymore.
Silencing your inner critic from the social emergence factor, Metafilter, is worth a read if your critic is still bothering you. Not all the suggestions are helpful, such as one response: "I strangled him, weighted the body, and dumped it in the deepest part of the lake," but knowing how everyone struggles and overcomes can be a cathartic experience.
Knowledge is power
You've thought through everything, you're excited, and you've erased your negative reasons. There's nothing left now but to just start! Make the first small step toward writing your piece. If it's a short story, make a character list, non-fiction, start by listing your sources. Take the smallest steps you can which will lead to bigger and bigger steps, and before you know it, your story will be written!
Make time for treats
Once you've started, keep your enthusiasm and energy up by taking time out to reward yourself for the hard work. Maybe that means just lounging on the couch for an evening, or perhaps you want to show off your new novel chapter to your friends. Just do something you enjoy that will make you glad you've spent your hard won time and effort on.
Keep it up
If you're stuck in the middle of a piece, figure out what's causing that block. Did you write yourself into a corner? Or are your characters simply not cooperating. Try to organically start again, letting your characters take control of the story, or writing your article from a different angle. Even if it's not the way you want the finished product to be, taking a different point of view is sometimes enough to shake us out of our doldrums.
What are your favorite "starters"?
Freya D'Amico has been writing freelance online since 2005 as a reporterand columnist in Chicago. Currently, she works as an acquisitionseditor for a book publisher and writes creativity articles on her blogazine, www.fishnorfowl.net. She lives with a polydactyl cat and ina candy colored wardrobe.