One of the literary world’s oldest pet hates. Writer’s Block forms a hurdle we often struggle to get over. It can be done, however. I suggest a few ways how…

I want to address an issue that affects all of us, whether we’re jobbing authors, amateurs, or people trying to start out. Namely, the condition known as writer’s block. It can render us completely unproductive for weeks, months, years in some cases. I myself am a repeat sufferer; it can be very frustrating when you do actually want to work but just can’t find the drive, the motivation, the inspiration, the mood… the words. But I have found that there are a few things you can do to get past it.

1. READ

The first thing to do when the words for your own work aren’t quite flowing is to read. Reading is something you ought to be doing anyway; it can equip you with vocabulary, a familiarity with the style and form of literature. I tend to find it helps to read work that is similar in style or genre to what you’re working on – maybe even by an author who inspires you. And this extends into battling writer’s block. I know during my most recent spell earlier in the year, I wasn’t really reading anything similar to You Can Hear Chopin, my current work in progress. And then I started reading Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada, and steadily, after absorbing the environment and the tone of that novel, I began to sort of piece it together in my mind of how I could inject that influence into my own writing at the point of the story that I had reached at that time.

For people who are more visual consumers, I would say it’s not unacceptable to watch films or series, if you find them more inspiring. When writing the Berylford books, I often had a Dickens or Austen adaptation on in the background and that would urge me along.

2. FREE WRITING

I recommend this a lot for people who want to get into writing but are not sure where to start. It is also great for writer’s block. If you hit a road bump in your story where you think, “Meh, I don’t really know where to go from here,” or you just lose your flow and can’t get it back again, my suggestion to you is to take a step away from the current project.

Start a new document and just write whatever comes into your mind. Just type. Whether it’s about your day, or another story idea you’ve been sitting on for ages. I do find that when you have several ideas that you want to work on at the same time, it does rob you of the motivation to focus on your current piece of work. Set yourself a time limit, whether that’s five, ten, whatever minutes of just writing, and then come to a stop. You can obviously get rid of anything you don’t like; keep anything you do. It might not work first time, but this idea of free writing might push you back in the right direction to finish your work.

3. WRITE BY HAND

Lately, I have been working on You Can Hear Chopin in my free time while at work. Just five- or ten-minute bursts. But I’ve been writing it all down by hand in a notepad. And then when I get home, I re-type it from there, and often edit myself as I go, so it’s almost like proof-reading a first draft in the process. I think because the act of writing by hand is actually relaxing to the brain that it feels much more natural, a much smoother process. I often find if I’m struggling to get something out on the screen that getting it down on paper with a pen really does help.

4. DO SOMETHING MONOTONOUS

You may have heard people have their best ideas while in the shower or while chopping vegetables or suchlike. And there is some truth in that. The creative juices tend to flow during monotonous, everyday tasks, when your mind can wander. Referring back to my last point, I started trying to work on my book at work. That’s because what I do is so repetitive, it is activating the creative part of my brain to work on You Can Hear Chopin as soon as I can. I can’t leave it until I get home from work. I discovered this early on. Doing the job I do, I’d be all inspired by lunchtime and think, “Yep, I’m going to do some writing when I get home,” but when I got there, I’d be like, “Nah, too tired now”. In short, do your monotonous task, get thinking about whatever you’re writing, and, if you feel inspired, act on it as soon as possible. Don’t give that creativity a chance to turn off again.

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Those that were born here… those that died here… those that are buried here… We explore the esteemed literary heritage of Bournemouth and Poole and the names there associated…

I used to complain when I was younger that no one famous seemed to come from my home town of Poole and its neighbour Bournemouth. But as I grew up, not least through running a magazine based around my local area, I discovered that is far from the case. Even more relevant in my capacity as a writer, it turned out that several names associated with the two towns are pretty big in the literary world. So, it turns out I share a connection with these members of writing royalty…

JOHN LE CARRÉ – BORN IN POOLE

The great spymaster John le Carré. Responsible for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Night Manager, and Smiley’s People, among others. A man who we sadly lost at the age of 89 last year. He was born David Cornwell in Poole, same place as me, to Nicholas Cornwell, a known associate of the Kray twins. However, his grandfather held more of an esteemed local presence. Namely, that he served as Mayor of Poole in 1929. Le Carré is not quite as much of a symbol of my hometown as local smugglers and pirates (true story). But it’s still very proud-making to share such a connection with the king of the spy novel.

THE DURRELL FAMILY – LIVED IN BOURNEMOUTH

As most recently dramatised on TV in the series The Durrells, the Durrell family, including authors Gerald and Lawrence Durrell, lived in Bournemouth prior to their famed move to Corfu in the 1930s. They re-settled in and around the town after their return from the Greek island at the onset of World War II. Louisa Durrell, the matriarch, died in Charminster in 1964, and Margaret (Margo) Durrell kept a boarding house down here. She even based her own book, Whatever Happened to Margo?, on her experiences as Bournemouth landlady during the 1940s.

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON – LIVED IN WESTBOURNE, BOURNEMOUTH

While famed for tales of adventure and suspense, some of Robert Louis Stevenson’s later life was spent down in Bournemouth. More specifically, a house called Skerryvore Garden, in the town of Westbourne. It was here that the novelist conceived his dark, thrilling novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

J.R.R. TOLKIEN – DIED IN BOURNEMOUTH

Bournemouth became something of a favourite holiday home for arguably the greatest name in epic fantasy writing, J.R.R. Tolkien. His work requires no introduction, of course. But did you know that the hotel where he spent his visits still stands to this day (The Hotel Miramar, to name it). There is a blue plaque there in his honour. His wife Edith died in 1971 and Tolkien followed her two years later, passing away in Bournemouth. Now, the town celebrates their link to the great man, with some of his greatest lines adorning the high street.

MARY SHELLEY – BURIED IN BOURNEMOUTH

Of all the great literary symbols of Bournemouth, Frankenstein creator Mary Shelley is perhaps the most ironic, as she herself never actually lived or died there. The town is, however, her final resting place. Her son, Sir Percy Florence Shelley, himself resident in nearby Boscombe, brought her remains to be buried in St. Peter’s Church in the town centre. He also had the graves of her parents exhumed and buried with her.

Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments section below. For more author news and views, my Facebook and Instagram pages are here. And drop a subscription to my YouTube channel to remain informed of the latest, plus some exclusives. Furthermore, my fortnightly podcast, The Dale Hurst Writing Show, is available to listen to here on Spotify.