Melanie Bell

Author, Writer, Editor

Tag Archives: writer’s block


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So You Want to Write in Lockdown?

How are you all doing? Here in London, we’re well into lockdown #3. Remember lockdown hobbies, and the optimism with which some people took up making homemade sourdough bread and learning new languages? If you’re like me, enthusiasm for indoor activities has waned a bit by now.   

Writing is one of the things keeping me going as I work from home, socialize (as much as it’s possible to do so) from home, and veg out… all in the same general vicinity. As much as it can be a source of vitality and energy, though, it can also be hard to do consistently during this time. And people wanting to try writing for the first time while their lives have moved indoors face the additional challenge of getting started.    

Here are a few things that have energized my writing at one point or another during the quarantimes.

Write socially

When working on my first book, I went to Shut Up and Write sessions where a group of writers gathered, chatted briefly, and then got down to the process of quietly writing. Sessions were timed, and with other people doing the same thing around me, I got a lot of work done. I’ve benefited from finding similar group writing sessions over Zoom where friendly people encouraged each other, shared resources and updates, and provided accountability.

Try something new

Last year (during lockdown 2), I did NaNoWriMo for the first time. I tried writing something in a new genre (romance) and format (novella). During lockdown 1, I read about short nonfiction writing, tried pitching a big publication, and ended up writing something for the Huffington Post. Setting challenges for myself and trying new things kept the writing process fresh and interesting.   

Find a critique partner

Having someone else to exchange writing with keeps your manuscript from languishing forever unseen in your files. I found a fiction critique partner through social media and have been swapping work with her ever since. Having someone intelligent and responsive to exchange feedback with has been helpful and encouraging, and means I’m writing more. 

Take advantage of your personal schedule

If you’re working from home now, like me, you might have gained time back from your daily commute. Try scheduling writing in that now-freed calendar space. Another way of taking advantage of your schedule is knowing your body’s clock. I’ve been reading about chronotypes, or the variations in people’s biological clocks, and recognizing why I’ve never been one of those people who got up and wrote early in the morning. I don’t have to be! We all have different times when we’re at our creative and productive peaks, and maybe learning about yours will help you get more writing done, too.  

Write about what you’re experiencing

During the pandemic, I’ve helped process the stress of a radically changing life and environment by journaling (i.e. inelegantly venting about everything) and writing poems about the virus, Zoom calls, and shifting restrictions. It’s been a wonderful outlet. 

…Or not

Sometimes I just want to escape the 2020s. I’ve found solace in writing fiction set in a pre-COVID world and in other, imagined worlds. Do you wish you were somewhere else? Writing can take you there!

Have you been putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard in lockdown? What keeps you writing?


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What to Do When Your Brain Just Won’t Write

According to coach and author Alexis Rockley, the lack of focus and creative blocks that many of us are experiencing during the coronavirus pandemic stem from the uncertainty arising from this situation. We don’t know what’s going to happen next, and our brains are overwhelmed. In this and other stressful situations, it can be hard for those of us who want to write to get any writing done.

Every writer has struggled with this at points – writer’s block, stress, and other manifestations of a mind that isn’t in any shape to create. It’s one thing if writing is our day job, and we have the external motivation of a deadline with a paycheck waiting at the end (and even then, getting the words out can sometimes be a challenge). It’s quite another when the only person counting on us to get something written is ourselves.

When your brain just won’t write, what can you do? Sometimes it’s best to recognize and care for our needs and come back to work another time rather than tiring ourselves out in the here and now. There are lots of things that can help recharge your batteries, get inspiration flowing, and move your writing career forward when your brain is stalling and the words just won’t come. Here are a few of them.

Self-Care

Rest: If you’re overwhelmed or tired, maybe you need more sleep or downtime. Listen to your body and offer yourself the rest you need.

Exercise: Like rest, we need movement in order to function. Again, listening to your body is helpful here. If you’re feeling twitchy in that office chair, maybe you need to get up and go for a jog.

Check your physical comfort: Are you hungry? Thirsty? Cold or hot? Is your furniture hurting your back? Sometimes a comfortable environment makes all the difference.

Do your to-do’s: Some writers procrastinate by doing busywork, but the opposite can also happen. If you have pressing items on your to-do list that you’re putting off, they may be hogging brain real estate that could otherwise be devoted to creativity. Look at those worrisome tasks you’re putting off and get them done. 

Idea Generation

Read (or engage with other arts): Reading keeps writers engaged with words and stories, and can be a wellspring of ideas. So can taking in other forms of art, whether that’s looking at paintings or binging Netflix shows. Feel free to re-engage with old favorites too. 

Research: Like your to-do list, this is some writers’ favored procrastination tool, but it’s also productive. Read and learn about topics that interest you or that are related to your writing project, or try something new and out of your comfort zone. You never know what will spark an idea.

World build: Act like a kid and make things up! Draw an imaginary map. Invent a lollipop land. Dream up a new animal. If you already have a created world as part of your writing, play around with adding things onto it.

Learn your craft: Take a writing class, attend an event, or listen to a podcast. Try something that will teach you new elements or angles on writing and expand your horizons. 

The Business of Writing

Pitch or submit: When the words aren’t coming, that can be a good time to submit and query the pieces you’ve already finished. You can try pitching ideas for new pieces as well, or pitching rejected ideas to other publications. 

Edit: Try rereading your drafts with an editorial eye. See what would benefit from being rewritten. Reading your work aloud can be helpful here, as can exchanging critiques with writer friends.

Build your social media or web presence: It helps to have a presence and network online. Reach out, make connections, and put yourself (and your work) out there. Find people who will want to read your work once you get back to writing it.

Build relationships: As with the above, it’s useful to connect with others in the writing world. Try attending events (virtual ones count, of course), joining a writers’ group, or going to a conference. Keep in touch with the people you meet and like. 

If you just can’t write right now, truly, it’s OK. A writer is someone who writes – but you don’t have to write all the time in order to qualify for the title. There are lots of things you can do that will contribute to your writing when the words won’t come. I promise that blank page will still be there, ready for you to get started.


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Three Takes on Writing What You Love

“Write what you love” is widespread advice, yet it can be hard to reconcile with the realities of the market and the day-to-day challenges of the writing process. Still, I’m a believer in the wisdom of this advice. Here are three instances in which I find it helpful.

1. Writing something you would love to read.

Many writers write for themselves first. The reasons for this are myriad: writing to heal, to investigate a personal question, writing on a subject of interest or expertise… there are probably as many personal reasons for writing as there are writers. It’s useful and powerful to write things that appeal to you as a writer. Chances are, if you love it, there will be an audience out there for it. There is, however, a risk of writing becoming self-indulgent. You might, for instance, write something about your life that lacks interest for a wider public. Alternatively, you might infuse your words with layers of personal meaning, with a result that is confusing and leaves readers wondering what the point is. (Not that I’m guilty of this or anything!)

While writer appeal can be the thing that gets us putting one word in front of the other, if you’ve had any feedback to this effect, think about reader appeal. When you get stuck, ask yourself what would interest you at this juncture as a reader. Imagine that you’re the reader of your work in progress and write what would be important and compelling to that side of yourself. There’s no room left for writerly self-indulgence when you’re seeing through a reader’s eyes (or rather, any “indulgences” here will be sure to have appeal for other readers). Some of my favorite authors speak of writing the books they have always wanted to read, especially those that they haven’t been able to find. What has your reader self been longing for that hasn’t been available? Try writing that.   

2. Staying motivated.

When you write, loving what you’re doing is the fire behind the keyboard. If you’re passionate about your premise, your characters, your plot, you’ll keep coming back to it. Even when the writing process gets rough, tapping into a love of the project itself can keep you motivated. When writing becomes your love affair, you’ll really want to get that book written. If you have certain pivotal scenes that you envision in your mind like a video clip on repeat, you’ll be excited to get the points in your project where you actually write them. For all these reasons, I’m an advocate for loving your writing. Many books wouldn’t exist without the passion driving their creation. The risk-taking, innovation, and investment that lead to art would often not exist if the writer didn’t love either the process, the anticipated end result, or both. After all, there are easier ways to make money.

3. Writing towards a result you care about.

But what if you’re writing for money, rather than for a passion project? First, congratulations on getting paid for your work! Second, that’s something to love, too, isn’t it? Write for the value that you’ll get from the project in that way. Or what if you’re writing something because you believe it’s important to say, even if you don’t like it very much? What if the writing is difficult, but you need to get the words out? Come back to the reason, the “why”, and the heart that drives it. Here’s another take on the “Write what you love” question: Write what matters to you.


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9 Tricks to Try When You Have Writer’s Block

Writer’s block. We’ve all been there. You want to write but find yourself staring at a blank page, your mind void of ideas. Maybe you’ve encountered a block on a project you’re currently working on, or maybe you’re hoping to start a new one and the inspiration just isn’t flowing. Either way, the words aren’t coming easily. Here are some ideas to jump-start your imagination and get your writing going again.

  1. Write something ridiculous: Sometimes writer’s block is a product of taking your writing too seriously. If you have a vision of how you’d like your writing to turn out but are finding yourself stuck when it comes to getting there, write in something silly. What’s the least likely thing to happen?

  2. Brainstorm with a friend: Find someone you trust who’s interested in your writing and talk about your block. If you’re in the middle of a project, talk about where you’re stuck – they just might know a way out of that tricky middle. If you’d like to get started, try to come up with ideas together.

  3. Take a macro view of your piece: Look at the big picture of what you’d like to write. Is there a particular demographic you’re speaking to? What point are you making? Consider the big questions and see what inspirations emerge. How can you most effectively say what you want to say? 

  4. Write something you don’t usually write: Try a new genre or style, just for fun. Take a break from your usual writing interests to engage in creative play. How about rewriting the lyrics to a song, or penning some fanfiction? Write as far outside your comfort zone as you can. 

  5. Research an interest: Spend some time going down an internet rabbit hole and researching something random that interests you. Take what you’ve learned and use it as a jumping-off point for some writing, either on your current project or outside of it. 

  6. Use writing prompts and exercises: Find some writing ideas online and try them out. Try changing up genre and point of view, answering “What if” questions, or writing based on assigned sentences and topics. 

  7. Look at the options: Make a list of everything you could write, either everything that could possibly happen at this point in your project or every new idea that comes to mind, no matter how outrageous. Pick two or three options to try out. Set a timer and write on each. 

  8. Get moving: Go for a walk, exercise, or clean the house. Moving your body can fill you with energy and get your neurons firing, too. Many writers find a solution to their block by taking a long walk and entering a relaxed state where ideas can emerge. 

  9. Take a break: Declare the day a writing-free zone. Don’t stress about your writing. Use your writing time to get other things done: finish those tasks you’ve been putting off, or catch up on your favorite show. Come back to your writing another day, once you’ve had time to refresh and recharge.