Block Busters: The $6 Solution

[ladyseishou]

Perhaps outwitting your writer's block can be as simple as moseying on down to your local dollar store...

- Jenna Glatzer, Outwitting Writer's Block



...and stocking up on these six items...

As suggested by Jenna Glatzer in her book: Outwitting Writer's Block and Other Problems of the Pen, these are six, inexpensive items that can be found in local variety stops around the world (Dollar store, Dollarama, Poundland, Euroshop, 100 yen shop...) that could be part of a well-planned arsenal to take on writer's block!

A Calendar

...pick a dollar store calendar; your choice - horses, clowns, butterflies, frogs, or daisies on the front - and use it to outwit your writer's block. Use it any way you wish. You can fill in the blanks with the various writing exercises you're using to beat that nasty block.

A (Really Neat) Pen

Just like your (really ugly) notebook, there's something to be said about a (really neat) pen. Especially for a writer... It's a special pen, just for writing... Use it to add a little much-needed color or fun or whimsy to your writing.

A Mascot

...an inanimate object designed to cheer you on, help you through your frustration, make you smile, sit there quietly, and never, ever ask a silly question like, "Aren't you done writing that yet?"

Bubbles

Blowing bubbles is a long-forgotten art and one of the cheapest cures for writer's block I've ever come across.

A Snack

...there's nothing wrong with giving yourself a little treat now and then, and there's no better place to get treats (and a whole lot of 'em) than the dollar store.

A Book of Word Searches

Creativity is the key when fighting - and especially beating - writer's block, and mind games like this one are the lifeblood of creativity.

These are all great suggestions - some of which Nano Writers already know about and that we've looked at this past month.

As for calendars, for an even cheaper alternative, Nano Writers might check out the special calendars that fellow writers post on the NaNoWriMo forums (note: the current forum is scheduled to be "archived" this week) or searching deviantART for the latest 2009 calendars/wallpapers.

For pens - color, color, color! If you aren't making story notes in color, you don't know what you're missing! If nothing else, using color is a great way to visually organize your notes - red for characters, green for setting, blue for scenes... the possibilities are endless. Especially if you mix in highlighters and index cards in bright colors!

And mascots... where would we be without our lucky mascots and totems? As for me, I have a Japanese doll dressed as a Heian era noble woman (very similar to my Lady Murasaki icon). What does everyone else keep nearby to ensure the favor of the muse?

Well, that wraps up our month-long look at writer's block. Next up... we'll look at ways to get ready for November, a quick review of genre, character, and story structure with a dash of worldbuilding! It's going to be a busy month!

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[ladyseishou]

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