More on Writer's Block

Writing Tip #4

I found another reason why I am not a believer in writer’s block:

I am sitting on my back porch. It’s about 85 degrees. At least that’s what it was. It might be cooling off a bit. Storm clouds are creeping across the sky just starting to blot out the pinks and golds of the sun setting behind the trees. A large bird – a Great Blue Heron, now that I look closer – is lumbering westward. I remember someone saying once that birds don’t fly at night. He must be looking for a place to roost for the night. The clouds are a slate blue and turning inky at the edges. I don’t care what the forecasters say, it is going to rain tonight.

Okay? I had nothing to write. But I did.

Look around! Write something! It may not be the something you intended to write, but it might be useful at some point!

I remember seeing a video about Basho once. If you don’t know who he was, he was probably the most revered haikuist ever. He said that if you stood in one place you were supposed to be able to write something like 200 haiku just from looking around yourself. Then, he added, if you ran out of things to write about, you should look down at your feet and write about that!