Mix things up to beat writer's block

I hate writer's block. It's the worst! As far as I know, there's no magic formula for curing this unfortunate affliction when it strikes, only various approaches to try until you find something that works for you. 

I recently had a conversation with a creative director at an advertising agency about the brainstorming process, which we agreed is similar in many ways to the writing process. When encountering a mental block, he finds it helpful to break his pattern. He said it's human nature to fall into a routine, so shaking things up even a little bit can help unfreeze that creative energy. 

For example, try one of the following:

*Buy your morning coffee somewhere new

*Drive (or walk/subway) to your house/apartment/office via a new route

*Listen to a different radio station

*Go for a walk with your head on a swivel — and observe!

*Drag yourself out of bed a half-hour early 

I liked my friend's suggestions and plan to try some of them the next time I find myself staring at my computer screen, willing the words to magically appear without assistance from my fingers. Sometimes it's easy to come up with ideas on the spot (snap fingers), but sometimes it's not. When things just aren't clicking for you, try mixing up your routine and see what happens.

-Maria