Using Writer's Block As A Creative Exercise

Happy Tuesday, Dear Readers!

I wanted to talk about writer's block today. It happens to all of us from time to time, to varying degrees, and is frustrating no matter the degree. The thing to focus on is to not give up, but to redirect your writing to something else. Write a different scene, write some dialogue that you were thinking about, and give yourself some time to rearrange the scene you were stuck on. You'll get it right; maybe not in an hour or a day, but you will get it.

I also like to change the music I'm listening to if I get stuck; depending on how your brain works, sometimes listening to music that has a different rhythm can help. Instrumental jazz always helps me the most, but listening to a wide variety of music can help me when I'm trying to find the right groove to write a scene.

If a change in music or writing something different doesn't help, change locations. If you usually write in front of a home PC, go outside or to a library. Change your place, change your perspective, and let that somewhere new inspire you.

I especially recommend the library; if you need it, all that research material is there for you! Also, there is something so intrinsically calming about sitting in a library and existing there in the moment as you listen to everybody around you.

Whatever you do to keep moving forward with your writing, the most important thing is that you keep writing. Don't let the writer's block wear you down, because you can write your way around it.

-A.M.W.

Nice & Reliable Transportation

I have a car; her name is Stacy. She's a 1999 Chevy Malibu, and despite being well over a decade old, runs pretty well. In a world where one of the most important questions on a pre-interview application is "Do you have reliable transportation/your own car?", I have always been glad that my car runs well.

Sure, she has a rust spot, and the back seat windows won't roll down anymore, and because I have to park outside it seems like her natural taupe color is perpetually a little darker because of the dirt, but I try to keep her nice. For the majority of the time, she looks good, and that's pretty important if a potential employer sees your ride.

However, from the driver's side, Stacy doesn't look good today. I was running errands and had the front windows down because it was finally warm enough again to have them open. When I got back home, I rolled up the windows. The passenger side window went up just fine...the driver's side did until I heard a horrid *chunk-chunk*, which I think might have been the motor for the window giving up the ghost, because the window stopped moving...an inch to inch-and-a-half before it would have closed.

I just got back inside after cellophaning/taping the gap so bugs and rain (but mostly bugs) don't get into my car. Thankfully I had some heavy-duty clear packing tape (I refuse to duct-tape my car), so Stacy doesn't look too much like a reject. I probably shouldn't worry about it, because the gap is so small compared to what it could be, and from several angles looking at Stacy it doesn't even show, but I can't shake the feeling that if an employer sees Stacy as she looks now, I'm going to be judged negatively for it.

In brighter news, my writer's block is gone, I have complete outlines for both a children's book and a young-adult humor/parody book, I have conducted one more interview for my thesis, and I have a job interview this Monday with the city I live in! *crosses fingers* It's for an actual technical writing job, which makes me all sorts of happy; this could be my foot in the door to a great job for a great city.

-AMW