IWSG: Overcoming Writer's Block

              Time for another posting with the Insecure Writers Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another.  IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.  The co-hosts for September are Julie Flanders, Murees Dupé, Dolorah at Book Lover, Christine Rains, and Heather M. Gardner.

             I said last month that I would give an update in this post on how I did with time management and keeping up with this blog. Well, I did not really take into consideration the fact that I had gum graft surgery in mid-August and how tired I would feel. I did manage to get one good day in for responding to my comments, visiting those who left a comment, and even catching up on a few others I follow. So, that's better than only catching a few followers sporadically throughout the week! My main insecurity at the moment is with my gums, which I have already written about in my last two posts. I just pray that the surgery has done its job and the new gums will take, but only time will tell.

              Since I'm not feeling particulary insecure in my writing, I thought I would share something that has helped with writer's block moments and just clearing my head. Emails or notes to a friends have helped inspire ideas. If I share some advice or a train of thought with my friend, I sometimes see how I could expound upon it and turn it into a blog post or an addition to my book ideas. Writing letters to various people in my life (like roommates, bosses, crushes) has also helped. Most of those letters are never actually given to the adressee, but venting out frustrations or feelings on paper can help bring some ideas to the surface. I have also written out prayers, especially in moments of distress over my circumstances or worries of the future. When I look through my prayer journal entries, I realize how much writing it out can help me calm down and bring out some revelations to the surface. I have seen it in my regular journal/diary entries as well; there was even one time that I started writing with so much frustration and venting about a horrible day and I ended up turning it into a prayer of thanksgiving. Writing has definitely proven to be a great tool for focusing and calming my mind. So, if you are feeling stuck, just keep writing, usually something good will show up!

            Besides letters or journals, I enjoy writing prompts from time to time. I came across this article recently and thought it had some fun prompts: 30 Days of Writing Prompts