Friday Speak Out!: WRITER’S BLOCK? TRY USING A WRITING PROP

By Laura Yeager

Writer’s block is a common problem. It can last an hour, a day, a year or two or, God forbid, even longer. People try many things to get over it – brainstorming, writing to music, using writing prompts – to name a few. Whole books have been written on the subject.  Now, here’s an idea -- if writer’s block happens to you, the issue might be solved through the use of a writing prop.

I had never purchased a writing prop until recently. What I mean by “writing prop” is an object that I use to generate ideas for an article I want to write. Take, for example, a miniature Zen Garden retailing at $24.99. I invested money in this because I believed I’d get a story out of it, and I knew I’d probably be able to market the piece and make a profit from it.

With the Zen Garden, I began experimenting to see how using it daily would make me feel. Zen Gardens are meditation/relaxation devices. And guess what? The tray of white sand and little rakes actually promote calmness. I ended up writing about Zen Gardens and their benefits for cancer patients for Curetoday.com, a cancer website. The article was published on April 4, 2025.

Writing props can be anything that helps you generate ideas for an article or a story. A writer might invest in a deck of tarot cards to see if they assist in day-to-day living. After the writer experiments with the cards, she can write about the experience.

Another example of a writing prop might be a plant that you purchase, or raise from a seedling, with the sole purpose of discussing its growth progress in an article.

What about buying a white noise machine. Does this prop make your life better? The point is if you’re stuck for ideas, invest in a seminal object, a writing prop.

Try essential oils and candles in the boudoir. Do these make your bedroom activities better? Worse? If so, write about this.

There could be an article in the purchase of diet drinks. Do they really help you lose weight? Does eating more fruit and vegetables make you feel better? Invest a little money on them, or grow your own, and find out, and then discuss your findings in an article.

Using writing props is ultimately a form of research. For a minimal investment, you might come up with one or more stories.

Or if you’re short on money, get creative and look for (free) props around your house. For example, if you’ve never recycled before, start saving empty cans and bottles and see where it takes you. Who knows? This earth-friendly experience may generate a whole novel.

In conclusion, objects can be inspirational and can help banish writer’s block.

Dig up the family jewels. Put them in a creative work. See how they sparkle…in prose.

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Laura Yeager is a frequent contributor to Curetoday.com, a cancer website. She teaches writing at Kent State University at Stark and at Gotham Writers. Laura is happy and proud because her son, Thomas, has started writing and illustrating children’s books.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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2 comments Friday Speak Out!, Laura Yeager, overcoming writers block, writing tip

Friday Speak Out!: Beat Writer's Block!

by Allie Long

How do you confront what is stopping you from just sitting down and writing? Hopefully this list of the reasons will help combat writer’s block and tap into your inner ability to "just do it."

1. Perfectionism: It's easy to think your writing will never be as great as your favorite writers’. The blood, sweat, and tears are absent from the glossy book covers and lists of awards, but just because you don't see them doesn't mean they didn't happen. Write now, edit later. You'd be surprised the amount of material you can come up with just be writing a stream-of-consciousness about your day. The only way to access a diamond is to weed through the rough and find something worth polishing.

2. Feeling uninspired: This is probably the biggest problem I have when writing. It can make a person question his or her entire identity as a writer, but the solution to this problem is right under our noses. Writing is solitary, no doubt, but too much isolation can leave a writer severely lacking in the ideas department. Our commitment to our work can be self-sabotaging if it leads to neglecting our lives outside of writing. Take a couple days to just live, and you'll be surprised at just how quickly you are ready to write again.

3. You aren't reading enough: Time to go back to the drawing board. The books you read are a vital part of your writer's toolbox. The more tools you have at your disposal, the more problems you'll be able to solve and things you'll be able to build. I don't believe in over-studying or over-rehearsing, and I certainly don't believe in over-reading.

4. Fear of failure: Maybe you're scared of criticism, maybe you're horrified at the thought of rejection, or maybe you've already written something great and you're worried you'll never top it. Self-expression will not always please everyone around us, but you'd be surprised how much openness and vulnerability are appreciated. Maybe you will even inspire others to overcome their fear of failure in the process, and that's worth just as much as writing something spectacular.

5. Too many distractions: Facebook, Twitter, just one more Netflix show. We've all been there. Commit time during the day to writing and enjoy your favorite TV shows at night. If you don't take your work seriously, nobody else will. You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish, and it will make your relaxation time that much sweeter.

6. You don't really want to write: If you've tried everything under the sun, and you still can't force yourself to write something, it might be time to come to terms with the idea that you may not want to write anything at all. The only way to know if this is the case is to do some serious soul-searching about why you want to write. If there's a will, there's a way. But if there isn't a will, well, you can figure out the rest.

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Allie Long is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia, majoring in economics and English. Her poems and essays appear in Hooligan Magazine, The Rising Phoenix Review, and Bird's Thumb. You can find more of her work at http://www.upyourallie.com.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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2 comments Allie Long, Friday Speak Out, inspiration for writers, overcoming writers block, tips for writers

Friday Speak Out!: Just Turn it Off

by Elizabeth Joyce

I haven’t written in three months. My addiction to social media is to blame. It started from logging on once a week to frequent checks throughout the day. I write on a tablet which has a removable keyboard. The accessibility of switching from Word to apps in seconds lured me into making a purchase.

One day the tablet wouldn’t turn on. “This can’t be happening!” I thought, as my finger repeatedly pressed the power button. Priorities needed to be addressed when I wondered about a friend’s recent post instead of written essays lost to cyberspace. After learning it would be two week until my tablet could be replaced, I knew the universe wanted to teach me a lesson.

The forced isolation reminded of reminded me of hours spent as a child crafting silly poems on paper. I grabbed an old notebook and wrote in free style. Three pages later an idea popped out of my loopy handwriting. I did more writing in one afternoon than the entire summer. There was no backspace key to distract me. A page of words left me satisfied as a writer.

Can balance be achieved between social media and the written word? Once I’m “connected” again, the plan is to set the timer for ten minutes. After “likes and shares,” everything gets turned off.

Pen and paper helped me overcome writer’s block. What’s more important is these tools never require technical assistance!
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Elizabeth Joyce is an assistant Children’s Librarian and is a member of the Candlewood Writer’s Group. She is now working on a new play and hopes her new revelation culminates in a rough draft before the holidays.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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1 comment Elizabeth Joyce, Friday Speak Out, overcoming writers block, pen and paper, social media, wasting time

Friday Speak Out!: Any Time, Any Place

by Mary Driver-Thiel

I am mulling over the first lines of this essay not at my desk, but from under thick blankets on my bed while savoring the soft, pre-dawn light of a winter morning. One of the perks of being a writer is that the job is highly portable; assuming my memory doesn’t fail me, I can create sentences, outlines, or entire paragraphs anywhere.

Obviously, there comes a time when I have to sit at the computer, but that is not usually where the “aha!” moments happen. The peripatetic habits of writers from Dickens to Kerouac have been well documented. Working on the move is part and parcel, if not essential, to the business of constructing written language, but how often is it celebrated as one of the most positive attributes of the writing life? The mobility of the craft means common annoyances—a four-hour wait at the DMV, tedious family gatherings, screwed-up travel plans—become creative opportunities rather than ordeals.

Lately, I’ve been traveling to downtown Chicago on a regular basis. I could drive, but I prefer to take the train because it gives me the luxury of working uninterrupted for forty-five minutes. Armed with a small spiral notebook and a pen, I’m often treated to unexpected inspiration by the multitude of characters I encounter on the rails. In what other line of work is one grateful to Metra for an increase in productivity and imagination?

Train rides, along with coffee shops, malls, airports, and a host of other public venues, allow for studies in human nature: the gestures of the woman wearing a white feather boa and purple turban, the syntax of conversations I wouldn’t normally be privy to, and stories I couldn’t imagine on my own. On the train, I’ve overheard lawyers discussing a sleazy client (their description, not mine) for whom they regretted winning a large settlement. I’ve heard parents talk about their recently jilted daughter, bemoaning concerns, not for her, but how to sue the rat for lost deposit money. I’ve also—shamelessly—copied phrases verbatim from my eavesdropping.

Then there are those sticky places all writers encounter: awkward wording, paragraphs that don’t hang together, and ideas that skitter into the darkness. Solutions to these problems often magically appear while the author is showering, gardening, scrubbing the garage floor, or doing anything other than staring at a blank page. Advice on overcoming writers’ block is full of suggestions on stepping away from the desk to bring on the muse.

While it could easily be argued that carrying our work with us at all times has driven more than one writer mad, I prefer to see the positive side. Writing, due in great part to its mobile nature, provides an escape from boredom and unpleasantness, as well as hope for the future. Someday, I might even make a fortune with my itinerant skills. Just look at J.K. Rowling, who penned Harry Potter to life on paper napkins in a coffee bar.

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 photo credit Robert Tolchin  

Mary Driver-Thiel’s new novel, TWELVE THOUSAND MORNINGS, is a sequel to her first novel, THE WORLD UNDONE, which was short-listed for 2013 Book of the Year by Chicago Writers’ Association. Her short stories have been published in various print and online magazines, including Epiphany, Halfway Down the Stairs, and Midwest Prairie Review. Driver-Thiel holds a B.A. in Fine Art and a Master of Arts in Teaching, and lives in Lake Forest, Illinois. Please visit her at: http://www.marydriverthiel.com/.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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3 comments away form the desk, Friday Speak Out, Mary Driver-Thiel, overcoming writers block, where to write, writing life

Friday Speak Out!: Writing Exercises to Feed a Starving Muse (and Book Giveaway!)

by Jessica Bell

I don’t believe in writer’s block. Well, not entirely. I do believe that we run out of ideas or inspiration on occasion, but I honestly think that’s a result of a starving muse.

What do I mean by “starving muse”?

Sometimes, when you are working on one particular manuscript, your brain becomes lazy or trained to think a certain way. It slips into the routines and personalities of what you believe your characters to be, and creates, what I like to call, an inspiration shield. This means that you could be cutting yourself off from new creative stimulation that could improve your work, and help grow new ideas.

If you think you have a starving muse, here are a three writing exercises that might provide it with some nutrients.

Exercise One

Think about the person you are in love with. If you are not in love with anyone, think of someone you love unconditionally, such as a parent, sibling, child, or pet. Write a scene between you and this person that illustrates the extent of your love through action. You must not use the word love at all, any synonyms of love, or any declaration of your feelings. The reader must see that you love this person from the way you behave. Avoid clichés such as cheek stroking, and looking longingly into one’s eyes. Use at least one simile/metaphor in your scene that relates to smell. Use 1st person, past tense. Write no more than 1000 words.

Exercise Two

Write a one-page memoir from the point of view of an inanimate object. Don’t think about it too long. Just choose the first object that comes to mind. Think about its function. Does it need another object, or a living being, in order to efficiently serve its purpose? If so, what kind of relationship would this object have with this other object/living being, and how would that relationship shape the object’s life? Try to avoid giving the object supernatural abilities. Be as realistic with it as possible, but be sure to give it a “voice.”

Exercise Three

Step one: Grab a newspaper (or your iPad!) and open to a random page. Read the first headline that catches your eye. Write it down. Do not read the article.

Step two: Write a fictional article with the same headline. If you know the real story from the news, choose another one. If you know every single story that has been in the news lately, make up your own headline.

Step three: Use the people mentioned in your article, and the things that happened to them, or the events they are associated with, to write a short story or vignette. Try to “show” as much as possible.

Have random writing exercises ever helped you overcome the elusive writer’s block? If so, how? If not, why do you think that is?

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY*****

Jessica is excited to give away a free copy of her writing skills book, Writing in a Nutshell: Writing Workshops to Improve Your Craft to one lucky winner! Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below and leave a comment for a chance to win. Open internationally. Winner is chosen randomly and announced within the widget on March 21.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Jessica Bell, a thirty-something Australian-native contemporary fiction author, poet and singer/songwriter/ guitarist, is a the Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal and the director of the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca. She makes a living as a writer/editor for English Language Teaching Publishers worldwide, such as Pearson Education, HarperCollins, MacMillan Education, Education First and Cengage Learning.

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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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12 comments book giveaway, Friday Speak Out, Jessica Bell, muse, overcoming writers block, writing exercises

Friday Speak Out!: Getting Creative with Writer’s Block, Guest post by Robyn Corum

Drivers along the northern stretch of Alabama’s busy I65 met with an eerie and unexpected sight during February of 2012 when a gaping sinkhole appeared before them in the blacktop.

It must have been terrifying.

In a peculiar way, the event reminded me of the potentially devastating effects of writer’s block. How many of us have been swept along by intoxicating whirlwinds of creativity and inspiration, only to be dropped suddenly and unceremoniously at the brink of our own black and cavernous ‘sinkhole’?

The big question is: how should we react when this happens? Human nature seems to say stare at the looming sinkhole. Think about it. Focus on it, to the exclusion of every good thing around you. And, yes, possibly even begin to spend time researching sinkholes. In other words ‘Think SINK’. Until the gnawing blackness grows to an overwhelming, all-consuming size.

Or…take action.

For just a moment, imagine the result if those unlucky February drivers had chosen to simply sit in their vehicles and stare at their obstacle. Not too efficient.

Instead, traffic was detoured and people started thinking. Some enterprising folks chose different modes of transportation for a week or two, a few drivers sought new routes, and still others opted to make phone calls instead of personal visits. People got creative!

To ward off writer’s block, you too, have to be pro-active and creative. One step is by choosing to become proficient in different genres. Though you may prefer to pen Young Adult Fiction, your talent can only improve as you learn to write quality Flash Fiction or try your hand at Poetry or Romance. If you always compose while sitting at the computer, ‘unplug’ yourself now and then to write long-handed or speak into a voice-recorder. Join a critique group or consider co-writing a piece or story. Or why not consider getting a ‘fresh start’, literally, by scribbling some notes while sitting beneath a tree under an expansive blue sky?

Shake things up! Keep the creative juices flowing by daring to challenge yourself and your brain. Do things differently and don’t be afraid to take detours!

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Robyn Corum loves words! The lucky girl has two books in print: a historical romance entitled Melinda Heads West, and a collection of short-form Japanese poetry entitled Pieces of Her Mind, written with other women poets. For Writer’s Resources and Tips visit her blog at: http://robynsrules.blogspot.com

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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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3 comments Friday Speak Out, overcoming writers block, Robyn Corum

Clearing My Mind, Filling My Page

Have you ever said …?

• I haven’t done much with my novel

• It’s been hard to come up with blog topics

• There are deadlines approaching for writing projects and I have no ideas

• I feel like I have no time for writing

• Life has gotten so chaotic that my journal has even been neglected lately

• I need to come up with a solution so I have time to write

• My heart longs to write but my head is so full I can hardly concentrate on a grocery list or a short text message

I was saying all of these at the same time. Anne Shirley, one of my favorite characters from the 1908 bestselling novel Anne of Green Gables by Canadian author Lucy Maud said it best: “Can't you even imagine you're in the depths of despair?” After describing my frustrations to a few writer friends, I was quickly told how common this is. Talking it through helped me take a deep breath and focus on a solution.

I wish I could list all of the ideas and suggestion given to me, but as I tell my story you will get the gist of what might work for you. I purchased and download a new book to my Kindle (if you’re wondering, it was The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult) and then scheduled a pedicure. Before heading to my appointment, I printed out my project list and stuck it on the fridge. Then I did the unthinkable, I deleted the project list from my smart phone and turned off my phone. I ran a comb through my hair, put on flip-flops and the new lip gloss I had been saving for a special occasion, grabbed a classical CD, and ran for the door.

I left the house knowing my husband could handle anything with the children. I looked in the rearview mirror while backing from the garage. The girl staring back at me was up to no good; the sparkle in her eyes had been missing for a long time. Today she wasn’t looking haggard, exhausted, or on the brink of a meltdown. In fact, she looked pretty carefree with Bach streaming from the truck speakers.

I arrived a few minutes early for my pedicure to ensure a little extra foot- soak time. Lying back in the chair, I closed my eyes, and concentrated on the methodical massaging motions. I inhaled through my nose and exhaled through my mouth simply enjoying the moment. During the pedicure, I didn’t talk much and read my new book. In the end, my toes looked amazing and I left the salon feeling like that sassy, sexy woman who had looked at me in the rearview mirror an hour before. I didn’t only look different on the outside, but I felt renewed on the inside!

When I arrived home, the children were outside playing and I had the house to myself. I slipped off my flip flops, grabbed my favorite pen and notebook, curled up in the papazan chair that I’ve had since college and I wrote. I started with a journal entry and couldn’t stop. I wrote until my hand tingled and my wrist was sore and then I wrote some more! When I took a break, I looked at the flowers painted on my toes and smiled. The simple act of clearing my mind had allowed me to fill my pages. Something else happened beneath the service too. That time for myself reminded me I was important. I wasn’t just a person doing a job; I was a person who had reignited her own passion. Thank you to my amazing friends for the support, suggestions, and ideas … and for these adorable little piggy toes and full notebook pages!




Crystal J. Casavant-Otto is a church musician, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, two young children (Carmen 6 and Andre 5), three dogs,two rabbits, and over 200 Holsteins. Crystal is expecting another child at the end of September.

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4 comments being inspired, clearing your mind, cure writers block, journaling, overcoming writers block, relaxing to write better, writing