Today's Tip is a writing exercise. It can be used to Bust the (writing) Block, as a practise exercise, or even as a way of crafting a difficult scene.
This is one of the most enjoyable exercises I have ever taken part in. It was an activity suggested by someone in Royston Writer's Circle, which I was a member of briefly about 10 years ago.
The goal of the activity is to practise describing a scene using all of your senses.
The activity works by rewriting the same scene repeatedly, using a different sense each time.
First, choose a scenario.
If you don't already have one in mind, you can use a random scene generator. There are loads on the internet, but this one is quite nice.
https://randomwordgenerator.com/writing-prompt.php

For most writers, the easiest and most natural sense to work with is sight. So we'll do that first.
Describe the scene visually.
What does it look like? If you are writing from the point of view of a character, what do they see?
I'm going to have a go at this (genuinely, I am doing it from scratch).
 
My character has entered a building where a murder has taken place.
 
Warren pushed open the door. The room beyond was dim, poorly lit, the only illumination a streetlight. He paused on the threshold, allowing his eyes time to adjust. The details of the room came slowly into focus. Before him was a double bed, covered in tangled white sheets. At first, it appeared empty, but as the shadows and shapes coalesced, the lump underneath the duvet resolved into a small, person-shaped form. What he'd thought was a shadow in the centre of the lump became a dark stain.
 
The next easiest sense to describe is hearing. What does the character hear? Rewrite the scene focusing solely on the sound.
 
Warren pushed open the door. The hinges squeaked and the bottom of the door made a sliding noise against the thick carpet. What struck him first was the stillness. The electricity had been disconnected days ago and no appliances hummed; it was as if the house was holding its breath. As he waited for his eyes to adjust, he became aware of the shuck of distant vehicles on the wet tarmac of the nearby road. Somewhere a tap dripped, the only sign of life in the whole building. That and the faint rustle of his breath in his surgical mask.
 
The remaining three senses are trickier to describe, and might not be relevant to the scene you are writing. But you'd be surprised what you can come up with.
 
First, touch.
 
Warren pushed open the door. He felt the slight resistance as the bottom of the door pushed against the carpet. His hands were sweaty inside his latex gloves, and he was uncomfortably aware of his warm breath, trapped within his face mask. The bedroom window had been left ajar, and the cool night breeze ruffled his hair.
 
Taste and smell are very similar senses that often overlap. For obvious reasons, Warren won't be licking anything he comes in contact with, but I can still find something.
 
Warren pushed open the door. He licked his top lip, coated in the salty tang of his sweat. From the moment he'd entered the house, his nose had hinted at what he would find. Now, standing on the threshold of the room, the smells familiar to every homicide detective filled his senses. The heavy metallic odour told him what had caused the dark stain in the centre of the duvet, and the sweet cloying stench informed him that whatever horrors had occurred here had taken place a couple of days previously.
 
The final step in this exercise is to take the best bits of each paragraph and blend them into a single passage. Be ruthless, and don't feel you have to shoehorn something from each of the senses into the final product. If you don't think taste adds anything, leave it out. If the house is silent, just say so, don't scrabble around for extra detail or torturous metaphors. Try and keep it short, you want to transport your reader, not bore them! Once you've done that, edit the hell out of it!
 
Warren pushed open the door. Without electricity, the house remained eerily still, the only sound the rustling of his warm breath beneath his mask. The smells familiar to every homicide detective already told him what to expect, as his eyes adjusted to the unlit room. The bump beneath the sheets coalesced into a small, human-shaped form; what appeared to be a shadow in the centre of the duvet resolved into the source of the heavy, metallic odour.
The sweet, cloying stench that had alerted the neighbours as it drifted through the open window, told him that whatever horrors had occurred here had taken place days previously.
 
Remember the rules:

• Set yourself a time limit.
• Write without stopping, editing or overthinking.
• Write whatever comes to mind and don't worry if it doesn't make sense.
• It doesn't matter if it has nothing to do with the scene that you are stuck on.

 
Do you have any suggestions for exercises to practise writing about the senses?
As always, feel free to comment here or on social media.
Happy writing,
Paul. 

Today's warm-up exercise is another favourite of writing classes; telling the same story from two different perspectives.
As with all of these exercises, you might have an idea for a scene already, but if you are struggling for inspiration, why not use an image as a prompt? Ideally, you want a scene with two different people in it.
This website automatically delivers random images.
https://writingexercises.co.uk/random-image-generator.php
Alternatively, you can just go to Google Images and type "2 people on a park bench".
Look at the two people.

• First of all, ask yourself who they are.
• Do they already know each other - if so, what is their relationship?
• What is the conversation about?
• Perhaps there is no conversation - in which case are they thinking about the other person, or are they both in their own world?

One approach would be to imagine a conversation between them. The dialogue is the same in each version of the scene, but the emotions and feeling may be different. What about their inner monologue?
For example, imagine a man and woman sitting next to each other. Is one attracted to the other? Is the other person flattered by the attention or put off?
The aim of this exercise, in addition to hopefully breaking you out of your writer's block, is to practise  empathising with different characters. To accessing their inner monologue and feelings, and to then try it from a different point of view.
Remember the rules:

• Set yourself a time limit.
• Write without stopping, editing or overthinking.
• Write whatever comes to mind and don't worry if it doesn't make sense.
• It doesn't matter if it has nothing to do with the scene that you are stuck on.

Do you have any ideas for busting writer's block? If so, share them below or on social media.


Until next time, happy writing.
Paul

Sometimes, overcoming writer's block is about getting started. It's about building a head of steam, so that you are ready to take a run at the day's goals. I've written previously about writing prompts. Beloved of creative writing classes, they are a great way of warming up.
The rules are straightforward.

• Set yourself a time limit.
• Write without stopping, editing or overthinking.
• Write whatever comes to mind and don't worry if it doesn't make sense.
• It doesn't matter if it has nothing to do with the scene that you are stuck on.

This exercise involves choosing three words, then writing whatever comes to mind - the goal is to write something which incorporates all three words.
Again, the brilliant website Writing Exercises has a tool that can help.
https://writingexercises.co.uk/random-words-exercises.php
This generates eight words. The original tool suggests that you incorporate all eight. I am going to suggest using just the first three, to keep to a short time limit, but it's up to you.
Again, this is a free write exercise, so it's all about the writing, not the content. It doesn't matter if the end result is gibberish, it's about unlocking potential.
Once you've finished your piece, resist the urge to pat yourself on the back and go for a coffee - open your manuscript and start work. Fingers crossed, that creative spark will have set the wheel's in motion.
Do you have any suggestions for overcoming writer's block?
As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or on social media.
Happy writing!
Paul

Today's Tip is another strategy to help move you on if you are suffering from writer's block.
I've suggested before how a simple free-write activity can be enough to jump-start your writing engine for the day. Here is my take on another activity that is a popular starter activity in creative writing classes.
Use, as your prompt, a random image.
Writing Exercises is a great website - here is a tool for generating random images.
https://writingexercises.co.uk/random-image-generator.php
What can you write about that picture?

• Is there a story to be told?
• Is there a conversation being had?
• Is it just a way to stretch your powers of description?

Remember, it doesn't matter if the prompt doesn't relate to what you are writing. This isn't about adding to your manuscript's wordcount. If a few minutes doing one of these exercises is enough to get your creative juices flowing, then it's time well spent.
To keep yourself focused, consider some constraints.
Don't spend too long choosing an image. Depending on the image database, the first picture might not be suitable (eg a logo or icon set), but commit yourself to using one of the first 5 images.
Give yourself a time limit. What can you get down in 10 minutes?
Don't lift your pen. Write any old nonsense, just go with the flow. Don't stop and start to overthink it.
At the end of the activity, open your manuscript and start immediately. Try and get at least something down whilst you are still warmed up. Fingers crossed, once you're up and running you'll keep going.
Good luck!
Have you got any suggestions about overcoming writer's block?
Feel free to comment here or on social media.
Happy writing,
Paul

Today's Tip is another suggestion to help move you on if you are suffering from writer's block.
Writer's block is a funny old thing. Sometimes it's more about getting your head in the game and starting your day's work than what you actually need or want to write.
I liken it to a sportsperson warming up before a match. It's all about stretching those writing muscles, ready for the game.
In this case, a simple free-write exercise can be enough to get you going. These sort of things are popular in creative writing classes. Regardless of the topic being studied that day, the class often starts with one of these. It helps you mentally switch to writing mode, rather than whatever other things your mind is on today.


Googling "Writing Prompts Generator" delivers dozens of hits, but here's one that looks quite nice.
https://randomwordgenerator.com/writing-prompt.php
Don't worry if the prompt doesn't relate to what you are writing. This isn't about adding to your manuscript's wordcount. If you watch a training session for an athlete, their warm-up exercises don't always link to the sport they are competing in. The goal is to get everything running smoothly.
And don't worry about "wasting time". When writer's block is really entrenched, you can spend all day writing, re-writing, deleting and stressing, with nothing to show for it at the end.
If a few minutes writing something that you'll junk at the end is enough to start you working productively, there's a net gain there.

Setting some constraints can be useful.
Give yourself a time limit. What can you get down in 10 minutes?
Don't lift your pen. This is a classic in creative writing classes. The rule is write any old nonsense, just go with the flow. Don't stop and start to overthink it. Obviously, this is better suited to a pen and paper, but if you are a reasonable typist or use dictation software, you can still do it.
No editing. Once it's down, it's down. Own your previous choices!
Don't spend too long choosing a prompt. If you do this, you can waste even more time. Pushing yourself to write something outside your comfort zone can be good - and remember, this is just for you. If the end product is gibberish, who cares? Nobody minds if a goalkeeper looks a plonker during warm-up, if the end result is a clean sheet at the end of the game.

At the end of the activity, open the manuscript you are working on and start. Get at least something down whilst you are still warmed up. Hopefully, it'll be like jump-starting a car - once the engine is running, you just need to drive it for a bit to charge the battery up.

Good luck!
Have you got any suggestions about overcoming writer's block?
Feel free to comment here or on social media.
Happy writing,
Paul
​If you are a writer and have a tip you'd like to be featured on my blog, please don't be shy. Contact me on social media or using the email link above.

The first in an occasional series of #TuesdayTips looking at ways to beat writer's block.
Ugh! We've all been there. The term writer's block is such a dramatic term, conjuring up images of tortured writers moping around like the world is about to end.
It's not usually quite that bad - and try explaining it to your non-writer friends who all have 'real' jobs, and see how much sympathy you get!
Sometimes it can be little more than the desire to do anything other than write. Other times it can be staring at a blank screen awaiting inspiration, whilst knowing that it isn't going to come. At its worst it's the paralysis caused by an upcoming deadline.
(Side note about punctuation here. All writers suffer this, but it feels incredibly personal and even isolating, so I have decided to go with the singular possessive writer's block, rather than th plural writers' block).
Either way, we need to bust that block (credit to my partner for the cringeworthy blog title).
Today's Tip.
Write something different.
It sounds trite and easy, and it is one of those rare occasions where writing out of sequence, like I do, is a bonus, not just a colossal headache of rearrangement at the end of the book! But I think it is something that even those who plot their books to the nth degree can do.
Sometimes the words just won't come. The scene that you are trying to write just will not flow. It's not necessarily that you don't know what you need to write - for some reason, today you just can't.
For me, switching to a different scene often solves the problem. I had this issue recently with my current work in progress. I had been writing a scene where my team were investigating a particular incident. I knew what needed to happen, the actions that the team would be taking, and who would be involved. I even had some snatches of dialogue that I wanted to use. I could bullet point the scene if needs be. But for whatever reason, I just couldn't  get into the groove.
So instead, I started working on a different part of the book. It was almost like starting a fresh story, and before I knew it, I'd banged out a thousand-odd words.
That's one less scene to write. My writing day had turned from what could have been a bit of a write-off (no pun intended) to a pretty productive one. A couple of days later, I returned to that original scene. Nothing had changed, but I finished writing it in a couple of hours. No drama, the words flowed as they always do, and when I went over it the next day, the prose was exactly what I wanted.
​
Stay tuned for more tips, including some exercises that can kickstart your day's writing and get you into the groove.
Do you have any tips on how to overcome writer's block?
Feel free to comment here or on social media.
Happy writing,
Paul.