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by: RayEdwards
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Up front, I have to say one thing: I don't think Writer's Block exists. It is a fantasy that we have made up, a mythical fairy tale. In the real world, you are either "writing" or "not writing".

After all, have you ever heard of a pilot boarding a plane and telling the passengers and crew, "We're not going to be flying today, because I'm suffering a terrible case of Pilot's Block"? Of course not. It's the same for writers. It just may be that you just don't feel like writing today.

What we call "writer's block" is merely resistance to writing. Today's resource is a book called The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. It is a very powerful book, especially if you're a writer. I strongly recommend you get it.

So how can you smash through those barriers to stamp out writer's block? Are there any practical tips to get through this?

Use these three tips to break through writer's block:

Just write SOMETHING. It doesn't matter what. Write a grocery list, scribble a note to your mom, even fill out a card for a friend. No, I'm not kidding. Write anything, but just write. If you just write something, the simple act of writing can often cut through writer's block.

Tony Robbins offers three tips to help change your emotional state from nervous to relaxed and confident - pay attention to your focus, your physiology, and your language.

Focus is what you pay attention to. You can choose to focus on your writer's block, but that rarely makes it go away - in fact, it can make your writer's block worse than before. Pay attention to something else for a while. Try focusing on something positive, like how great you feel. Focus on the notes for your current project. Even if you aren't writing, you can still read them.

Physiology - Your body language affects your mood. If you are slumped over your keyboard, the very picture of defeat, you will feel defeated. Instead, sit up straight, take a few deep breaths, relax your shoulders, and get ready to write, write, write. Just try it - it works!

Language - The meaning you give to the situation. If, internally, you are thinking that Writer's Block means, "I'm lazy; I can never sit down and write; I don't have the discipline; this proves how lazy I am." If these are the signals you are sending to your brain, change your language! Talk to yourself in a way that encourages yourself to write. Understand that the fact that you are experiencing so-called Writer's Block doesn't mean you are lazy, it just means you are encountering resistance. Now you've learned some techniques in this article to overcome this resistance. Rejoice! You know how to overcome it now!

Write about your writer's block. I don't want you to wallow in self-pity. Just grab a notepad or scrap of paper and write down reasons why you are not writing. Maybe you're tired, or you had an argument with your spouse. In any case, jot it down. Once your reasons are on paper, read them over. Often, they just seem so ridiculous that you just have to laugh out loud. In my experience, this can help end writer's block fast!

Why do these tips work? Because in my opinion - and in my experience - your "Writer's Block" never existed to begin with!

About the Author

For an inside look at the techniques of a sought-after web copywriter, visit the site of Copywriter Ray Edwards. There you'll find many podcasts, marketing tips, videos and copywriting advice.

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