For a writer, there’s nothing worse than staring at a blank screen and being unable to write anything. It can be demoralising.
Most writers go through the experience but some have developed clever strategies to produce words on demand. Lisa Barone is one such writer.
According to Lisa, writer’s block is just an excuse. “I believe in fear and being burnt out. Writer’s block is what we call those things when we don’t want to admit to them,” she says.
To maintain motivation when motivation is least present, Lisa uses a combination of pragmatic workarounds and ritual. “If I can’t write out of fear, I’ll often put “Dear Lisa” at the top and pretend I’m writing a letter to myself that no one else will read. Then, once it’s done and awesome, I’ll strip off the top and publish it,” she says.
She writes straight after a workout, which produces “the perfect storm of endorphins and stillness” and blocks out distractions by turning off her phone and listening to rain or white noise on her headphones.
Finally, Lisa reads a lot. In her view “the only way to become a better writer is to learn more about your topic and expose yourself to more voices.” It’s sound advice.