Writing the Right Thing at the Right Time - overcoming a form of Writer's Block

When writing, whether it is online or not, finding an idea can be a challenge. Writing the right thing at the right time can be even harder. It is almost a form of writer’s block, except it is the exact opposite. There is no right word to even describe it (at least not that I have found!); it is being overwhelmed by the amount of ideas and topics which come to your mind in an aggressive matter. It is no longer the need for writing prompts or wring ideas. You already have that... but you have too much flowing through your head which makes it is hard to organize your thoughts into a story.

Every since I have become involved in these article writing sites, I have become kind of addicted to online writing. It was in July of 2010 when I found Xomba; later, because of my need for a sense of community, I found Hubpages. I am not surviving off the income I make from writing online (and it would be nice to see a little more income coming in)! However, I do enjoy writing as a mental release.

My problems all started when I started becoming obsessed with Google Adsense. I wanted to see the numbers up. Not just the number of readers, but the number of clicks and everything else writers look for when working online. They want the readers because they want their stories read. Yet, they eventually want the clicks too, so they can eventually make this a full time job and devote even more time to their craft.

This caused me to investigate; I wanted to know what I was doing wrong and the reason behind a slow trickle in of money. (Which was actually not trickling in since I must make $100 before I even get one check!) Like I said before, the writing has never been about the money; the ability to make money has made it an obsession. I wanted to learn. I wanted to know what I was doing wrong that every other writer online seemed to be doing right! (Well, at least according to what I have been reading!)

Suddenly, before I knew it, there was an overflow of ideas entering my head. They all happened at the most unusual of times… like when I am mid-conversation with someone else; scrubbing the kitchen floor; eating lunch; halfway through a movie; while taking a shower; while driving; rocking my child to sleep; in the middle of the mall; and as I lay down in bed. Unfortunately, these were all times it was physically impossible for me to grab my laptop and write anything down.

These ideas ranged anywhere from creative writing to informational articles. A variety of topics; some timeless while others should have been written days ago! (And if they aren’t written soon they might go into the unwritten graveyard of my mind!) Timing is of the essence, yet I was unable to find the time or motivation to write any of these ideas down, much less sit at my computer and actually type. I was overwhelmed! I had so many ideas entering my head. I couldn’t concentrate on even one idea in order to complete an article or what should have been a simple story.

It is difficult to give advice when I am still regularly struggle at this same problem. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel… at least I hope. With an overflow of ideas, I found I was completely useless at writing. Every single time I tried to write anything, the words would not come; my fingers seemed frozen hoovering over the keyboard. If I remembered something I wanted to write, I would get one paragraph in and suddenly be stuck. This was not only distracting, but downright annoying. So I took a break.

I hate to use the word quit, because I really didn’t quit. But, I did take a break. I decided it was okay not to write down everything tumbling into my head. I was overwhelmed at the time and it was stressing me out. It was completely counterproductive! Every time I tried to write, I had so many ideas running through my head I couldn’t get through even one. A break was definitely needed.

Now, if you are going through something similar, you might find a break is needed as well. After all, if this isn’t your main source of income; a break will not hurt anyone. The world will not stop revolving and life as we know it will not cease to exist! It is a hard concept, especially for those of us who are passionate about our writing.

As for the amount of time needed, that depends on you. I took a few weeks off, but it was because I had a lot of stuff going on in my personal life. Maybe you just need a few days. Maybe you need a full week. Maybe you even need a month. The thing you need to know, is once you have cleared your head, when you get back to writing, you will probably still have the ideas, but you will probably be able to get them down a little easier once your mind has settled.

Just in case you are nervous about losing all those brilliant ideas you have floating around, I found that purchasing a voice recorder is an invaluable tool. It can be easily kept on hand for those inconvenient times an idea pops into your head when you are unavailable to pull out your keyboard and start typing, but it is also perfect for when you are on a break and just want to make a mental note of something you want to write about. After all, your best idea is bound to pop into your head when you least expect it!

So good luck on your writing adventures; I am heading back out. This is the official start of my vacation being over!