Luckily, I have some ways to trick myself into getting back on the crazy train of writing. Writing prompts is one way. It helps to tackle a totally different topic or genre for a little while.

Sometimes, I’ll write a short story or flash fiction to get the words flowing. It helps to have a beginning and ending. I need the satisfaction of completion while working on a longer piece.

Great post. I’ll be bookmarking this and trying some of the suggestions if my tricks suddenly stop working!

Point is, it’s nice to read that someone else has dealt with this for more than a few months. When you said, ‘years’ I just about cried. I don’t see many writers admitting to this. I hear all of the advice, and nod politely, then return to my blank page, day after day. There isn’t a lack of creative thought. I don’t have a shortage of ideas. I suppose you could say there’s a discipline issue at play, but that would take discipline to admit and well, I don’t have that either, so take that for what you will.

Thank you! I’ll be searching out your book next. You’ve been supremely encouraging in merely a single post, so I stand to lose nothing by hearing what you have to say throughout the pages of a full-length work.

When I started reading your list of “reasons” why we might get blocked where you started with having run out of ideas, it occurred to me that I tend to get stuck sometimes because I have too many ideas floating around – or maybe even zooming around – in my head. I can get frazzled in the midst of such chaos and consequently struggle with focus and direction. That might be where I am right now. Most likely the best thing for me to do is to pick just one thing to work on (Ya’ think?) but once I get feeling so scattered it can be hard to sort through the mess and figure out which one to go after.

Thanks for the comment, Bryan. Sensitivity and compassion are key as I see it. While I haven’t suffered with a block, I certainly know talented writers who do. I’m just fortunate enough to have a method that works as a preventive measure. Simple luck, I imagine.

That’s awesome, Jamie. What I appreciate about your comment is that you are not even remotely taking away from any else’s experience by stating you have not had writer’s block.

Thanks for sharing!

My time will come, I’m sure. But for now, I’m still skating along free of writer’s block – at least for the moment. Good luck to all who brave the keyboard. It’s tougher than it looks from the outside.

I should have written the title, BROKEN, YET

subtitle, Growing through the Pain of Abuse.