My 5 Steps to Overcoming Writer's Block

These are some things I am enforcing in my own life, and thought I'd share for others. Even if you're not a writer, find something you love, something that makes a difference, and do it with a passion and without distraction. Don't let it be a shelter from the cares of life; rather, let your cares bleed into it and you will find a masterpiece within yourself.

My 5 Steps to Overcoming Writer's Block

1. Stop thinking your writing is terrible. The fact is, the more you write, the better you will get; even if what you write is bad, you will recognize it, analyze why, and make corrections in the future.

2. Stop getting hung up because you don't know what to write. Give yourself a project-- come up with a book/short story and write it even if you think it's cliché or won't go anywhere. Write and inspiration will come (don't stop until it does).

3. Stop being lazy. Discipline yourself to write five or six days a week for a certain amount of time or until you reach a specific word count.

4. Stop getting distracted. Don't let Facebook, e-mail, games or whatever newsfeed has your attention get in your way. If you must, give yourself an allotted time to cater to these distractions-- perhaps an hour a day. If you find you can't limit your time, wait until after you've met your daily writing quota to commit time to less important things.

5. Just write. No excuse is good enough. You're a writer, so write.

~ARose