Writer’s block. It’s a thing. Revisions roadblock. It’s also a thing. And usually, not because the writer thinks they’ve written a masterpiece but because they think it’s so bad there’s no help for it. Ah, we writers have so little faith. Most of us develop tricks to get over writer’s block. I have several “cures.” One that I learned in a class involves leaving the scene that’s blocked and moving onto the next scene you know is going to happen. This is especially beneficial if you are a plotter with an outline. Pantser have a bit more trouble but usually can picture what should happen next and can move on. This often unblocks the scene at hand, so we backtrack and fix it. Sometimes, we realize that scene doesn’t fit there so we move it or chunk it altogether. This usually works for me. When it doesn’t, I’ve been known to get in my car and take a drive. With the price of gas being what it is, I don’t do that much anymore. LOL All these exercises works well for writer’s block. Sadly, I’ve yet to find something that works for Rivisions roadblock. Usually, I just BICHOK until I fight through the malaise and “git ‘er done!”

When this message from the Universe popped into my inbox yesterday, I realized it’s something else I do for writer’s block, but unconsciously. In fact, I do it often when I’m writing as I visualize what happens next. *Hrm*, I thought to myself. Maybe I should try this to get me off high center on the edits.

Relax. Breathe in deep. Hold it. Let it out. Loosen your shoulders. Smile. Close your eyes. And you’ll be surprised, dear Silver, by how many voices you’ll hear, whispering sweet encouragement into your ear.

Kissy, kissy, you can do it –
The Universe
©www.tut.com

P.S. Be still, Silver, be calm, and listen. You’ll find there’s nowhere you can’t go, no challenge you can’t master, and no reason whatsoever that you can’t have it all.

Guess what!?! It sorta kinda worked. I let the computer “go to sleep”–ie. black screen. I swiveled my chair around, leaned back, and put my feet up. I didn’t think about the book. I didn’t think about all the stuff happening in Real Life. I relaxed. I breathed in deep. Held it. Let it out. I rolled my head on my neck and rolled my shoulders. I smiled. I closed my eyes. There were a lot of voices–there always are characters clamoring for my attention. But it was the one voice in the wilderness that came through load and clear: FINISH THE DAMN BOOK!!! NO EXCUSES!!!

I opened my eyes, and still calm, I got up and went to get my car keys. Jake and I made a Starbucks’s run because Triple Star day! Then we came home. I went BICHOK, and finished three chapters. I will start off today the same way, minus the Starbucks trip. That will come later as a reward. The nice thing is, the Big U’s advice is pretty much applicable to everything we do, yeah? So, be still, be calm, and listen. What are your voices saying to you?