Lately I have connected with many blogs of writers and poets, and read their stories and poems with awe. Some of them also write about how they have always wanted to write, always wanted to be a writer, which I connect strongly with too. As a child I was a prolific reader, reading up to 4 -5 books each week, and during holidays even more. But underneath I wanted to write, to be a writer. It seems many of us have been quite clandestine about this, as if it is not a real job or purposeful career. One piece of advice on tackling the dreaded writer’s block is to get a book and read. This is something I have always done, but more so now that I am openly writing, not just writing a blog. There is, I believe, one good book in all of us, but everyone has at least a thousand stories to tell. The first book you write, many editors and published authors say, is the stuff you need to get out of your heart or soul to heal in some way, or some chip off your shoulder! I’m not so sure this is true for every first published book I have ever read, but suspect the first knock back or the first draft for most writers was that book. My first book draft is full of stuff, mostly not suitable to even send to a publisher for comment, perhaps not even sensible to publish as it might hurt or offend some of the people I love or have known. But I often wonder, should I still try to publish it one day (the friends who have read excerpts say it is a good read)? Who knows, but for now, my answer to that question is no. There are many stories I would like to write, a crime novel being one of them, but for now the genre of story flowing out of my pores is creative non fiction. The idea of being a crime author is very enticing to me, and is the one reason I originally applied to study psychology at university as a mature age (old) student, not to be a psychologist, but to become a crime writer. Then my memory and language dysfunction came along, and a second degree that was so much more fun, a BA in writing and creative communication! I’m not sure how creative my writing is, but I am definitely having a lot of fun doing it. I am now a published poet, and working on two more volumes of poetry, one being all haikus, a form of poetry that is flowing from my warm-blooded veins at the moment. To still be able to write and read is truly one of the great joys of my life.

The question bearing down on every writer appears to be, What to do when we get writer’s block? This is a list f 23 tips to writing that help me.

1. Start writing, anything.
2. Choose a random topic, then start writing.
3. Choose a topic specific to what you want to write about, then start reading about it.
4. Read, anything and everything.
5. Set up a daily time to write each day, as if you are going to a ‘real’ job!
6. Watch an interesting movie, for me, those based on true stories or dramas work the best, not crime or action; also children’s movies work quite well for inspiration.
7. Go for a walk, sit in a park, walk along a beach, sit on a jetty.
8. Go to a coffee shop or your local mall and crowd surf.
9. Spend time with interesting friends.
10. Do not drink alcohol or too much coffee (once I would have suggested red wine and cigarettes at the office desk, but am pleased to say I think the possible immediate benefits do not outweigh the long-term harm!!).
11. If you want to write a cook book, read recipe blogs and books, and cook (and eat!!).
12. Take time out from writing or thinking about writing.
13. Transcendental Meditation (works better than other forms of meditation for me).
14. Do yoga or other regular exercise, and take care of your diet.
15. Hang out with people who write, attend writer’s weeks, etc.
16. Write just for fun, removing the pressure of wanting (needing?) to be published.
17. Get others to read your work (blogging does this).
18. Read everything you write out loud – the best way for you to ‘hear’ what others will read, as well as imperative for editing.
19. Start with an idea, a character or even a single word, then just write around it.
20. Write the synopsis of your story to see if you can sketch it out, then start from the beginning or end.
21. Remove distractions, e.g. shut off all technology – phones, internet, door bells at home; even put a ‘sleeping’ or ‘busy’ notice at your front door, if you get distracted by things like washing at home, go out, e.g. to a library.
22. Have more than one writing project on the go, then if you get writer’s block on one, you have something else to think about; this also removes boredom for me.
23. Stop putting it off until tomorrow, next week, until you feel better, you feel more focussed… just start writing (setting up the regular daily routine really helps me with this).

Most of these ideas work for me in other areas of my life, from getting the Christmas cards done (well, not last year!), to doing the washing or cleaning the house – regular days, regular times, and writing lists works well too.