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Hmmm…what to do when you’re having writer’s block?  What to do?  What to do?

How about a post on writers block?  That’s gold Jerry.  Gold!

As I’m currently finding myself in a writing slump, I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve been reflecting on in hopes of finding some help. 

Donald Miller recently wrote a blog post called “Writer’s Block.  What to Do When the Well Runs Dry.”  Here’s some of his advice:

• Don’t panic. As a writer, you are good at processing and communicating ideas, but you didn’t come up with the ideas. They existed before you and will exist after you. You are simply the filter through which ideas get poured and processed. There are more ideas out there.

• Get some rest. Your filter is not a fixed mechanism, it’s a living brain, and it needs rest. Take a break from all things philosophical for a while. Attend a movie, read a book, take a nap, but let your mind recover.

• Pray. I’m a firm believer that God brings us things to write about, word pictures to paint, ideas that are good for the world. Pray and wait.

Panic can be a big one for me.  I try to have a rhythm of writing two to three blog posts a week.  So when it’s Wednesday and nothing has been written, it can be tough not to get a little antsy.

In his Echo presentation, Blaine Hogan gave some insight into his creative process.  He says go offline when you’re stuck and write by hand.   I think some of the regular methods in his creative process could be helpful for breaking out of writers block as well. 

• Listen. To yourself and community. What is the story your community is trying to tell?
• Scratch when you don't itch.  Capture everything. Listen to music, see movies, etc.  Scratching isn't stealing. You're taking your impression to use another day.

Going offline was sort of a theme for creative types at Echo.  Charles Lee gave his creativity theory where you start with one idea. Work on it. Then you get other ideas. Ideas start connecting with each other. Then there's a divine moment where all the ideas, some seeming random, come together to make THE idea.

I’ve been keeping notes/ideas in a paper journal as well as online with Evernote.  I think it’s a good way to work out ideas, but I think the temptation is to run with one of the ideas sooner than you should because you feel the need to write something.  Again…don’t panic.

A couple of things I try to do as well is move around and force myself to write.  My cube is a cube.  No matter how many trendy orange IKEA lamps I put around it, it will always be a cube.  So from time to time, I’ll take the laptop to a different part of the building or to a coffee shop just for a change of scenery.  It helps.

Also, sometimes I just have to make myself write.  Just open up Word and start typing.  A lot of times I think writers block is just in my head.  I’m telling myself I can’t write or I’m using it as an excuse to go cruise around the web to read the latest tech blogs.  The truth is a lot of it is mental.  Here’s a prime example.  When I was a news reporter and had to write on tight daily deadlines, I had this picture I would put on my desk when I could write.  It was an old headshot from one of the anchors who had been there for decades.  She and I used to make fun of it.  I even made her sign it.  But I told myself, if I can’t write, get out the picture and the writer’s block would go away.  It actually worked despite being so weird.  There’s no magic in the picture, but it got me past a mental block. 

So these are a few of the things I’ve been thinking about lately when trying to get in a good writing groove.  What do you do when you’re in a writing slump?