Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

November 9, 2006

Stop Writer’s Block: 10 Minutes to Ideas to Write About

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 11:26 am

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Plenty of Ideas — Make Things Up!

Finding Ideas Outside of the Box logo 2

A young man wrote this week,asking how he might open his mind to be more creative. We passed emails back and forth. He said he knows that he stops his ideas. He asked if I might point him to how he might open his mind to let the ideas flow.

Do you have that problem too? Let’s check.

Stop right now and make something up. I’m sure you know how. Make me taller or shorter or older or younger, or any some such. Invent a new character in your life who is all evil or who is all good. That wasn’t so hard, was it? Okay we’ve got the making things up part covered. Most of us learned that in childhood.

Making things up is the stuff that ideas are make of. The exercise training for getting better at doing that involves time spent test driving your subconscious and unconscious a bit.

I’m going to show you one way to do that using a photo, your brain, and about 10 minutes.

Old Moon in New Moon

C’mon turn the page.

Come to the Writing Ready

The problem is too much clutter and too much noise. Writers need reflection and some room to rehearse. So we’re going to make time and clear our space. We’ll give our eyes room to visualize and open our conscious minds to ideas. Go ahead try this.

  1. Use the photo I offer or replace with one closer to the subject you write about. Choose a photo that has little detail and leaves lots to the imagination.


  2. Enlarge the photo as much as you can, before you begin.


  3. Sit back and close your eyes. Eliminate outside stimuli for 2 minutes.


  4. Open your eyes and look at the photo for 2 minutes. Don’t think. Instead, try to visualize yourself as part of it.


  5. After 2 minutes, touch the index finger of your dominant hand to your forehead and then touch it to the back of your head. That’s a physical signal to place the visual in your unconscious — to let your mind work while you do something else.


  6. While your unconscious works, use 2 minutes to straighten your work space. Put things away where they go. The sense of order and accomplishment will help the process.


  7. Touch the index finger of your dominant hand to the back of your head and then to your forehead. Glance at the photo. Close your eyes and let your mind wander for 2 minutes longer.


  8. Pick up a pencil (or hit the keyboard) and start capturing the thoughts as you’re having them.


I can’t guarantee this will work for everyone. But it has worked for so many that it’s worth trying on. Some folks find that it results in a great idea, and they’re off writing it. Other folks find that it gives them an entire bulleted list of things to write about. Still other writers find that at different times they have different results.

Reflecting on a photo is a poor writer’s vacation, a walk on the beach, an imaginary fishing trip. It has the power to bubble up ideas the same way walking or singing in the shower does. After taking 10 minutes to do these things, a writer comes to the writing ready to say something, type new words, make a pencil move, talk to the world.

If a photo doesn’t work for you, try music, meditating, or watching a candle burn. The object is to shut out the stimuli you don’t need so that you can access the ideas you’ve already got. Your brain has been saving up stimuli for you every day you’ve been alive. Go on and access it now.

What do you do to make sure you’re ready when you sit down to write? .

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
How to Age Ideas Like a Fine Cognac OR Making Compelling Writing the Center of Your Brand
Rehearsing My Writing . . . No, It’s Not Just a Liz Thing
The 9 Rights of Every Writer — Peer Pressure Is for Jr. High School
Why Dave Barry and Liz Don’t Get Writer’s Block





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21 Comments to “Stop Writer’s Block: 10 Minutes to Ideas to Write About”

  1. November 9th, 2006 at 12:54 pm
    TechZ said

    I don’t suffer from writers block, what I do suffer is from lack-of-time! I’ve got a dozen or so great (IMHO) posts that are just waiting to be completed and posted. I’m definately going to be finishing atleast 2 this weekend and share them.

  2. November 9th, 2006 at 1:24 pm
    Kian Ann said

    Ahhh…. Now I know why my crazy ideas start popping up when I go swimming in the pool! Really!

    Next time I guess I will have to bring a waterproof notepad along with me! :)

    Thanks Liz!

  3. November 9th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Kian Ann!
    Yep! That’s the reason. Don’t forget the waterproof pen. :)

  4. November 9th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey TechZ,
    I hope you’re not feeling alone. Lack of time is a complaint I’m hearing more and more. It’s the service that the Perfect Virtual Manager is getting the most call about — people are wishing that they had a clone.

    It’s funny. I no longer feel that way. :)

  5. November 9th, 2006 at 10:12 pm
    Steve Remington said

    Liz, I should try this sometime and see if it works for me. I know that sometimes some things work and sometimes they don’t so if it doesn’t work the first time don’t give up on it. Some things take time.

    The last couple of weeks I have been real pressed for time and it makes it hard to write. I find that my creativity is more than likely directly related to my stress level. I write so much better and come up with great ideas when I have reduced stress levels. When I tense up I can really have a hard time writing.

    Fortunately I have never experienced writers block for long periods of time. Longest would be like a day because maybe something happened that day that is on my mind and I have to resolve it before I can move on and write.

  6. November 9th, 2006 at 10:36 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Steve,
    I’ve missed seeing you around. That stress level must have something to do with it.

    Yeah, this is one great wasy to “fill up the well” and turn off the noise. Try it two or three times. If nothing else it’s a great way to get away from the world. :)

    Keep smiling and we’ll keep a seat for you. :)

  7. November 10th, 2006 at 8:14 am
    Timothy Johnson said

    Hi Liz - had a similar situation on a recent writing project (about a year ago). I was feeling pressured to finish up my second book (GUST) but still had almost half of it yet to write. It had sat on my desk, taunting me, ridiculing me, daring me to pick it and just try to write one more word. One night, even though I was too busy to do so, I went out and just people watched. I forced myself to sit there and relax and just soak in the human experience for a couple of hours. Over the next week, I wrote the final four chapters and the epilogue. Forcing your mind to change is a great creative exercise.

    Awesome post, Liz (of course, which of yours are NOT awesome posts???)

  8. November 10th, 2006 at 8:21 am
    ME Strauss said

    Tim,
    A change of venue that allows for reflection — especially one that get us out of our heads and back into our humanity — is the best cure for “writer’s block,” that you’ll ever find.

    Why? Because writer’s block is all about “I’m the center of the universe, please, please, please, feel sorry for me, this is hard and I don’t want to do it.”

    If you’d like a list of my posts that aren’t awesome, please send a truck and 225.95 for shipping and handling. :)

  9. November 10th, 2006 at 8:49 am
    Timothy Johnson said

    Self effacing humor, Liz… gotta love it :)

    Have a most spectacular Friday!

  10. November 10th, 2006 at 8:52 am
    ME Strauss said

    And a wonderful Friday to you, Tim.

    Does that mean you’re not going to send the truck and the $225.00? Darn. There goes the new Mark Shale pants I’d picked out. :)

  11. November 10th, 2006 at 9:24 am
    Mike said

    Liz,

    What works best for me is music first, then visualizing doing what I want, and then I’m off! But it’s not just any music. In high school it was Grand Funk’s Shinin’ On (live version, not the studio version) that I used to focus before pole vaulting. Today it’s Kissin’s version of Beethoven’s 5th piano concerto or Umphrey’s McGee’s podcast #11. I fire them up and I’m off and running after the first 8 bars.

    Have a wonderful weekend,

    Mike

  12. November 10th, 2006 at 9:27 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Mike,
    Music works for me too. The choice is dependent on what I want to write. Both photos and music get me away from this life into reflecting on my own ideas.

    Your way sounds like fun. Do you wear a helmet too?

  13. November 10th, 2006 at 9:38 am
    Mike said

    Not for writing, no. And my pole vaulting days ended in the late 70’s, so no, I didn’t wear a helmet, and yes, I did end up with a couple of concussions as a result. But the feeling of the wind rushing through my hair as I flew up and then back down was worth it.

  14. November 10th, 2006 at 9:41 am
    ME Strauss said

    I bet that pole vaulting was quite something for your spirit and sense of self. It would get you out of your head. It’s a great place to go to access a writer’s space.

    I DID mean a helmet for writing. :)

  15. November 10th, 2006 at 10:02 am
    Mike said

    Some days that probably WOULD be advisable! LOL

  16. November 10th, 2006 at 10:14 am
    ME Strauss said

    Yeah fun!

  17. November 10th, 2006 at 10:33 am
    David said

    I am a meditator. I visualize myself falling down a dark well. As I exhale, I slowly fall, when I breath in, I stop falling. I then let random thoughts fill my head, and usually either I think of something crazy (i.e. I forgot to close a window in the apartment and its raining), or I am able to energize myself with a great idea for writing.

    It is also a great way to go to sleep at night. Anything to stop the chaos running around in the brain seems to work well. :)

  18. November 10th, 2006 at 10:38 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi David!
    What a great technique for opening your mind! Thanks for sharing It!

    I often do something similar, but look at the stars instead . . .

  19. November 10th, 2006 at 11:18 pm
    Sandra Renshaw said

    Great post, Liz!

    So eloquently expressed.
    Sandra

  20. November 10th, 2006 at 11:26 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Sandra!
    Thank you.
    Great to see ya! I was just reading how you have discovered StumbleUpon. It’s fun. Isn’t it? :)

  21. November 14th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
    Blogging Blues? 10 Tips for Dealing with Blogging Burnout | Working Blogger said

    [...] Be prepared. When you have a few moments and you’re nowhere near feeling burned out, jot down ideas for future posts. Brainstorm a list of posts you’d really like to write for your blog. There are great ideas for getting ideas at Problogger, Successful Blog (and here) and SEOMoz. [...]

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