Thursday, September 14, 2006

Eliminating Writer's Block

I'm continuing my English language kick this week. I feel like if I'm keeping up a blog I might as well try to share some things that I learn at work so that I may benefit everyone and their own writing. I know you people have to write essays for school or just write on your own for fun. :) Yay. I thought about setting up a seperate blog for that, but, yeah right.

Yesterday we had a department meeting where we discussed how to overcome writer's block and jump start your brain. I guess I'm writing about that right now because I am absolutely not motivated to write anything for work today. Maybe now is a bad time for me to write. That is a nice lead into the first suggestion:
  1. Find your prime writing time.
  2. I used to think mine was the morning. It probably is, but my today started late since I got in the office at 9:30. So according to my brain, it probably thinks that it's lunchtime by now. Second suggestion:

  3. Just dig in.
  4. Just start writing. Stuff. Doesn't matter what it is. Train of thought, the middle of a thought, your dream conclusion...just start writing. And then leave it aside and come look at it later and you'll think, 'Well that sentence certainly isn't elegant. Look at this misplaced modifier! What was I thinking when I was creating transitions? This simply will not do.'

    And then you will fix what you've written and it will be great.

  5. Eliminate distractions.
  6. If I were given the option to work from home, I wouldn't be able to do it. Home is a huge distraction. Television, easy access to food, my bed... yeah. Distractions abound. Sometimes I wish I could go work in the HBLL out on a table somewhere. I always go there when I am working on a non-work-related project (such as studying for the GRE). I'd have wireless Internet so I could still research and whatnot, but even here at work, coworkers are distracting. My break room is distracting. The gardens are distracting. Hmm, the gardens...

  7. Get out of your comfort zone.
  8. Writing in the same style every time is boring. Try writing a serious paper in a crazy manner. And vice versa.
And those are some of the thoughts for today. Enjoy.

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