How to Prevent Writer's Block

Have you ever felt like qui...qui...quitting? Personally I hate the word so much I can barely say it! The definition of the word quit is...to release from a burden or responsibility, to give up as in defeat.

Neither of these definitions is very complimentary. Sounds like being irresponsible and not having the perseverance to see something to completion. Who wants to be associated with that? Not me, and I'm sure you don't either.

You see I've gone through alot to prove that quitting would never be a part of any area of my life. How? I undertook the most challenging physical event of my life - the IRONMAN. I did it to enforce the fact that by completing this grueling mental and physical challenge I would have network marketing success or anything else I take on. Well, here is where the rubber meets the road.

I've kinda been in a funk lately. I'm having a hard time writing and coming up with ideas to write about. I rarely have a hard time coming up with things to talk about but writing right now isn't flowing.

When you build a business on the Internet It's all about writing! No ideas, no writing = being on vacation from your business without necessarily wanting to be! Then in comes the guilt trip.

The vicious cycle begins.

I could come up with tons of lame brain excuses like...the economy (after all it's an excuse being used by lots of people),...the weather (I live in the northwest and man it sure rains alot here. I'm a runner and yuk I have to run in it all winter long)...the holidays (I hate the consumerism and stress that takes away from the real reason for the season.)...wah, wah wah...

Then I was listening to Ferny Ceballos interviewing Shecky about the MLM Traffic Formula Mastermind of which I was a member. He was talking about the best time to write was when you felt strong emotions.

Darn, I'm having one of those moments or in this case one of those weeks. I'm not sure why, but I'm mad, I'm angry. I'm frustrated. I want to scream and maybe even cry! Hey, I see Mt. St. Helen's from my office, I don't want to be erupting emotions all over the place. But, the real truth is I'm emotional for no good reason at all!

My friend who is a writer advised me to... Just do it (write that is!) So, I'm writing! In spite of feeling stuck. Hey, it may not be perfect but I'm getting something down on my computer.

I've heard about it before. Writer's block happens to people like Ben Settle, who's a famous copywriter. So if it happens to him it'll happen to you.

I thought it would be helpful to look at some ways to prevent the infamous writer's block. Because you work in your home most probably, I do believe there are some boundaries to set around your work.

Here are some that work well for me.They aren't altogether foolproof but they'll help keep the creative juices flowing. When I'm disciplined and follow my own advice I find myself here less frequently. I think you will too.

• Set specific work hours for your day. Otherwise you may find yourself working from when you get up in the morning until the time you go to bed at night.Little rest = less creativity.
   
• Only work in one area in your house. I made the mistake of working in several areas in my house. Soon I felt like my entire house was one big office. No private space.I felt like I couldn't get away from work! Big mistake!
   
• Get out of the house on occasion. Plan lunch with some friends just to have some fun! Or go hiking or some other activity that stimulates you. Be a participant in life rather than a spectator. This will give you more material and life experience to write about!
   
• Schedule planned breaks. Research has shown that humans work best in 2 hour increments followed by a short 15 minute refreshment break. This can look like going out for a brisk walk or enjoying a cup of tea or ....
   
• Get rid of distractions. Things like turning off the ringer for your incoming emails. Check emails once or twice a day. Screen phone calls. Remember, if you were working for someone else you would minimize personal calls.
   
• Keep a log of all your ideas. And when away from home carry a notebook with you so if creativity strikes you can write it down. Or if you own a tape recorder carry that along with you. Another great idea is to call your home phone and leave yourself a message about your inspiration.

These strategies will minimize your encounters with writer's block. This is important because writing articles is the cornerstone of building your network marketing business on the Internet.

Happy writing,

Dianne Thomsen