Beating Writer's Block

I would like to start this post, by saying that this is written mainly for myself, and in the event that it helps others, well then all the better. I haven't been making an appearance around these parts very much last week. I've been completely wrapped up reading the Outlander series and I have forced myself to take a little break from it. Am I the only one that becomes all-consumed with a book series (especially one that has already been published in its entirety) and won't do anything else until all of the books have been read, typically in a manner of weeks? 

So unless I wanted to discuss the pros and cons of 18th century Jacobite politics (although the fact that I was reading the books while Scotland was much more peaceably looking to break away from England was not lost on me), I was facing an acute case of writer's block when I sat down behind the computer screen last night. The mild fear that comes with the blinking cursor almost made me want to call it quits. Multiple times.

Then I flipped through the journal where I jot down ideas for blog posts, and what do you know I found? A list of ways to beat writer's block that I must have written at a time when the words and ideas for sharing on the Internet were plenty. 

And now I'll share the same advice that I am taking myself in order to overcome the singular fear that all writer's fear the most: a blank screen (or page, if we're going old school.)

Take a walk. 

And no I don't mean on the elliptical while you catch up on all 153 episodes of Gilmore Girls soon to be on Netflix. The temperatures are slowly dropping so it is the perfect time to take advantage of the fresh air. It's good not only for your waistline, but also for your creativity. 

Jot down all half-thought out ideas you have and revisit them later. 

Some will be absolutely horrible. Or may be better as a witty tweet rather than an entire blog post. However, some will be gems. Write everything down, no matter how trivial because perhaps in a few days or weeks, you will have new experiences or new thoughts to expand on the initial thought. Mull them over, discard the ones that don't interest you anymore and save the rest for a rainy day. 

Find beauty in the ordinary.

One of the first lessons you are taught when writing is to write about what you know. This is why novels often have the note in the front: Any character resemblance to a person is purely coincidental. Start with writing what you know, even if it seems quite ordinary and dull to you. It might strike a chord with someone else, you never know. 

What do you do to beat writer's block or a lack of inspiration?