She was shaking as she drove home.  Sighting a red telephone box she pulled over.  The phone box smelt of stale tobacco, she dialed Tom’s surgery number, his nurse answered. She drummed her fingers on the graffiti covered telephone book until she heard his voice. 

I start to write dialogue. I cut and delete it. I write again. I delete it. Dialogue frequently swamps me. I’m too explanatory by nature and my characters consequently become wordy wanting to fill in all the gaps for the reader.

I push away from the desk and wander into the kitchen. I open and shut the cupboard and refrigerator doors. I make coffee, I open the fridge again hoping to find a snack.

Its my pattern, I seek diversion preferably food, when I get momentarily stuck or know that I’m wallowing in waffling dialogue. When I resolve my tension with this type of diversion I’m still stuck when I return to the keyboard.

But I have found I can access my creative side and get back into the flow of my work with these three action steps.

Identify and recognise what I do to resolve my creative tension. I counter that strategy immediately by getting some fresh air, water the plants or a walk round the garden.

I use my intuition to receive a topic to write about – committing to write the first thought that pops into my mind. I set the timer for 5 minutes and  write, it does not matter what the content.

Thankfully that exercise blasts my left brain freeze and takes me back into my right creative hemisphere. I find I can get back into the flow of my work with a fresh approach.I’m back in the saddle again:

‘I’ve had a wretched day any chance of you coming for a drink tonight?’ she asked.  

‘I’m playing squash but will come later,’ he said. She sighed as she replaced the phone on its cradle.

What’s your way of dealing with writer’s block?