By Holly McCarthy
As writers, we often live a very solitary life. This life often consists of trips from the computer to the coffee maker and back again multiple times a day. Especially if you are experiencing writer’s block, a typical day can yield little or no results if you are coming from the wrong place. There is hope, however, if you infuse your day with a few practices that will help get the juices flowing and have you ready to write once again.
Read Every Day
Reading is what we expect others to do with our work once we are finished, so it is an integral part of being a writer to read every day. Explore multiple sources and read a wide variety of materials, but always make reading a part of your day. Newspapers, magazines, novels, and non-fiction books should all be a regular part of a writer’s reading diet.
Write Strictly for Yourself
Besides the projects that you have pending, you need to actively write strictly for yourself. Journaling is something that helps us clear the mental clutter and get things moving in the right direction. The practice of writing down thoughts and observations throughout the day can really help to infuse your other writings with fresh perspectives if you write for more than just one purpose.
Get Out
If you stay cooped up in your home office all of the time, your writing will reflect that. It is very important to make sure that you get out and directly experience life each day. This could be as simple as walking around your neighborhood or taking a bus or subway ride. You will have many different things to look at and experience. You may even find a great source of inspiration when you venture outside of your comfort zone.
Connect with Others
Besides getting out of the house for the sake of getting out, you should also actively seek human companionship in a variety of forms. Whether it’s connecting with other writers to exchange ideas or listen to their current projects, this can be an eye-opening experience. Additionally, maintaining friendships and relationships within your life can bring more authenticity to your perspective, depending on your projects. Keep in mind that connecting with others can be in person or online to fit your individual needs.
Keep Working on Large Projects
Set goals for your long-term writing projects and put some time in on them each day. Working toward a goal down the road will become much more feasible if you keep at it every day. If you don’t put in the time, your goals will never come to fruition.
Holly McCarthy writes on the subject of the top online college. She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com.