How to Find Inspiration and Blast Writer’s Block to Smithereens!

No matter much or how little you write, there comes a time when inspiration just doesn’t seem to well up. You get writer’s block. If you are like me, you might sit and stare at the screen for hours. Maybe all day. Then you will hate yourself for that, and you’re off into a negative spiral of self-criticism and otherwise unproductive behavior.

This happens to me at least once in a while.

But I’ve discovered a three secrets that help me find inspiration much more easily. These secrets may or may not work for you, but I bet if they don’t, you could find three secrets of your own.

Here’s mine:

1. Reading about related subjects. When I can’t write, I’ll read. If I want to write about surfing or caving, I’ll read about surfing or caving. If I want to write about marketing or programming, I’ll read about marketing or programming. I know this is easier said than done in a corporate environment, where you’re paid to write and NOT paid to acquire inspiration.
2. Getting serious exercise. Serious strenuous exercise really clears the bad cruft out of my head. For me, serious is at least an hour of Olympic lifting; powerlifting doesn’t really do it for me. Aerobics is a “why bother?” for me as well. Surfing will do it too. Whatever my head is full of before I get in the water, large waves usually clean it out pretty fast. Then I can get back to the writing with a clear head.
3. Talking with or meeting people. People who are excited about what I’m excited about help inspire me to write. I build up enthusiasm during conversations, then dissipate all this emotion into writing. Meeting people can be online or face-to-face for me. Either is fine.

So there you have it. Those are my secrets for getting inspired to write.

Actually, there is a fourth, super secret technique I also use: I tend to produce some of my best writing when I am supposed to be doing something else instead…