Four (quattro) quick quintessential tips to help quash the quasi-quagmire that causes writers everywhere to quake in their boots! Whether you're writing about a quixotic queen or a querulous quisling, quiet your qualms and quit writer's block by giving this queue a go!
1. Stay calm and DON'T carry on. Know when it's time to take a break, walk away, clear your head, do some yoga, scream into a pillow, etc. Forcing yourself to stare at a blank screen is a punishing waste of time. Try doing something physical, even if only for fifteen to thirty minutes. It will help you tackle the problem with a fresh perspective.
2. Dig out some objects. Things laying around that you don't normally notice. Rummage through the junk drawer. Make a bit of a mess. Line up each object. Consider them as if you've never seen them before, as if they belong to someone else. How, when, where were they obtained? Can you give them a voice? What do they see, do, feel? Write a paragraph about each object. Start with describing physical attributes and move on to giving them human qualities. Don't worry about it sounding silly or making sense. The point is to give your imagination a kick and get writing!
3. Grab a notebook and head outdoors to find someplace relatively quiet to sit. Then just listen. What do you hear? Separate the layers of sound and make a list. Note each noise, name it. Once you've completed the list, go back through and consider each item. How did each sound make you feel? Did it link to any memories? Other places, other people? Try to write a paragraph about - first describing and then associating - each individual sound.
4. Next, take in your surroundings. Are they bright, colourful, grey or drab? Describe what you are seeing. Can you make any links or associations? Are there other people around? What are they doing? What do you imagine about them? What might their quandaries be? Once again, make a list and then work your way through it, writing a paragraph or two about each observation and extrapolating wherever possible.
I hope you don't need these tips but if you do, stay calm, don't stress, and try to have fun with the above suggestions. And if you have any tried and tested tricks of your own, please do share!
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This
blog post was written in the spirit of the April 2014 A-Z Challenge
whereby a post is written every day during the month of April (with the
exception of Sunday). The theme of each post is meant to correspond with
a letter of the alphabet in sequential order. Monday's post will be
on R. For details and to visit the A-Z Challenge website, click here.
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