In my last entry, I described my personal experience with writer's block. I had an abundance of story ideas but I froze every time I faced a blank page. I couldn't even start writing, let alone complete a chapter or a whole novel or screenplay.
There are two types of writer's block. Writers who experience the first type suffer from a lack of ideas. Writers dealing with the second type have no shortage of ideas but suffer from an inability to get into the flow of writing.
This technique is intended for writers bogged down by the second type of writer's block. It's a trick I learned a couple of years ago but at the time I thought it sounded a bit silly. It seems to work well for me now that I've given it a fair chance. Give it a try. It will help you get the words flowing again.
Step 1
Grab one of your favorite books, preferably in the same genre as the story you're trying to write. You'll only need the first two to six pages, so if you don't have a copy of the book handy, feel free to select an excerpt from the author's web site and print it for use with this exercise.
Step 2 (optional but recommended)
You'll need to be able to see the pages of the book while you type on your computer's keyboard or write in a notebook. For the sake of protecting the spine of the book from breaking, I recommend photocopying the first six pages of the book onto regular sheets of paper instead. Feel free to make double-sided copies to save paper.
Step 3
Position the pages next to your computer (or next to your notebook if you prefer to handwrite instead). Make sure the pages are placed in a location where you're able to easily read them while you type or write.
If you don't already have a document holder or a clip to hold the sheets of paper in your line of sight while you type, try a Page Up. They come in a variety of colors and designs, and you can get them for a few dollars from Amazon.com or from Cool Safety Products. (You can see all the colors and styles on the Cool Safety Products site.)
Step 4
Open a blank document in your word processing software, or open to a blank page in your notebook. Start transcribing the pages of the book. Type the text exactly as it appears on the page. Type each sentence, each paragraph, each bit of description and dialogue.
It might take only one or two pages of typing to get you into a writing groove. Sometimes you may have to transcribe five or six full pages before you find yourself writing freely again. I've found it rarely takes more than six pages to get me into the right state of mind.
Regardless of whether it takes you one page or ten pages, it won't take long to break through the wall that was holding you back. When you reach that point, set aside the book and start typing your own words instead.
