I want to welcome fellow author and blogger, Jae Henderson, who shares with us her thoughts on preventing writer's block. 

Eliminating Writers’ Block

Every writer experiences those scary moments when the words won’t flow and our brain seems to be void of creative thought. Then, panic takes over and we begin to wonder if we’re in the right business. Rather than allow writer’s block to make you doubt your abilities, try one or more of the techniques below and get back to what you do best.

1. Create yourself a schedule or commit to writing
for an allotted amount of time each day. Some 
people’s minds adopt a 'this is the time that I write' 
policy and allow the words to flow freely during 
those times.

2. Do something else. It’s okay to put your project down and come back to it later, whether you come back to it the next hour, the next day, or the next month. Some writers like to work on multiple projects at once. So, if they hit a snag on one project, they can switch and do something else.

3. Ask someone a question. As writers, we are often inspired by other people. If you find yourself at a standstill, ask someone, “What would you do in this situation?” You may be surprised at their answer and suddenly your story goes in a direction you never thought it would. You may hate their answer, but they still got you thinking and helped to point you in the direction the story should go. 

4. Do something to relax and/or have fun. Writer’s block is sometimes caused by stress or unnecessary self-inflicted pressure to perform. The question is no longer “Can I write something?” It has now become “Can I write the best work I’ve ever done?” Stop torturing yourself, and go have some fun to de-stress. Return to your project with a renewed spirit, a smile on your face and some fresh ideas.

5. Do the thing that usually inspires you. I, myself, get some of my best ideas when I’m in the shower, driving, or at church. Who says you can’t take a shower in the middle of the day when you don’t really need one or go for a drive with no destination in mind? Go do it, if that inspires you.

6. Complete a writing exercise to get those creative juices flowing. The body needs exercise to stay in peak condition, and so does the mind. Here’s a simple writing exercise to keep those descriptive abilities sharp. Look at something and describe it. When I say describe it, I mean dissect it. Be as descriptive as you can be. You can make it serious, or you can make it lighthearted. But describe that item as if you are in a room full of blind people, and the only way they will have any indication of what it looks like is if you tell them.

I once read about another writer who says to relieve his writers’ block, he writes a letter to himself telling his inner editor all the problems with the story.

The next time you’re up against a mental wall, employ one or more of these techniques. Hopefully, that wall will come tumbling down.

Jae Henderson is the author of the inspirational romance novels Someday and Someday, Too. Learn more about her at www.jaehendersonauthor.com.  

This week Shannon Milholland shares her thoughts on social media.

Do you know why you’re on Facebook? Why did you start tweeting? I’m in a betting mood and will guess you read an article or heard a conference break out session on the importance of an author having a social media presence to build a platform as an author. Embracing 
this knowledge is an appropriate first step but if you don’t have a purpose for your social media in all likelihood, your Facebook is falling flat and your tweets are flightless.

Write a Mission Statement

Like a Fortune 500 company, an author needs a Mission statement. Everything you do should support and supplement your key focus. When you take the time to do so you begin to act with purpose which powers 
your efforts.

Write an Action Plan

Know the what, when and how behind each social media site. What will you use it for? When will you take the time to do it? How will that aid your success? By answering three questions you can pen a simple 
strategic plan.

Assess Every Month

On the first of each month, chart your growth. How many new followers have you acquired? How engaged are your followers? You can use a measurement website such as tweetgrader.com or klout.com as a baseline for your growth in social media. Be sure to have your own 
measures though that tie directly back into your mission statement. For example, if you writing a novel about World War II and all your new followers are ballet dancers, you may not be reaching your target 
audience.

Social media becomes less daunting when we decide to use it instead of letting it use us. Take some time to write a mission statement, action plan and assess 
your results and watch purpose add a punch of power.

Learn more about Shannon on her website at Jesus and My Orange Juice.