Thanks to strategist Hillary Hutchinson for this guest post. Hillary will conduct a 3 hour workshop at the Women’s Writer’s Forum in Charleston, SC on Saturday, June 1 at 9:30 a.m. entitled, “Resistance Movement: Getting Around Writer’s Block” about the different forms of resistance, and what is actually going on in those neural pathways, with ways to jump those tracks and get going again. (Graphic courtesy FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

I write a lot, and a lot of different things.  But sometimes, just like anyone else, I get stuck staring at a blinking cursor and simultaneously cursing the feeling of being stuck.  When this happens to me, I take what I know about both brain science and the craft of writing to give myself this pep talk, 5 ways to jumpstart your writing process:

1. Write. Don’t worry about whether it makes any sense, just get something down.  There is nothing worse than staring at a blank page and being afraid to put something down because it’s not perfect.  No first attempt is ever perfect.
2. Have fun writing. Put your thoughts down as poetry, screenplay or any other format you do not generally use in your work to rekindle your enjoyment of the craft. Doodling a mindmap can be a way into what you really do want to say.
3. Take good care of yourself. Balance your writing, a solitary activity, with the social interactions and emotional closeness you need. Enough sleep, regular meals, and daily exercise are not “luxuries,” but writing aids. Note that daydreaming is a place to rest your brain on alpha waves, and see what comes up when you are not trying to create.
4. Give yourself positive feedback for the work you have done, rather than unending criticism or worry about what remains to be done. Remind yourself that you will be coming back to your work later.
5. Take a break. Many writers have discovered only by going on retreats that writing is an actual occupation. So treat it like regular work.  Write for specified periods of time each day, then stop.  Having a regular writing schedule will let you relax the “I have to get this done” voice. By stopping, you give your brain chemicals a chance to rebuild so it will be easier when you do go back to work.

Hillary Hutchinson is a certified coach and professional business organizer. Helping academics with where they are stuck is a specialty, after well over a decade in the academic world and knowing the unique challenges of this unique work environment. Hillary assists with getting their writing done, building self-confidence, taking charge of their career paths, and fostering better communication and leadership skills for working with peers.