Bust the Writer's Block with Tabasco Bottles

If you ever run out of things to write about, start collecting stuff.

You’re thinking, “That doesn’t make any sense.” Hang in there with me.

When Writer’s Block strikes, it’s because you’re stressed out. There are a million topics in the world to write about. You are blocked because you are trying to MAKE yourself write.

You need a mental diversion. So collect stuff.

I collect stories of famous people. Did you know Willa Cather hated the first book she wrote?

Collecting stuff makes your mind travel in a thousand different directions.

Inevitably, when I learn about famous people, I’m getting tons of information on history, culture, and how people handle adversity. I’m not going to write about Willa Cather, but I might wake up tomorrow with a story idea about Nebraska.

What can you collect? You can use anything as mental exercise. Maybe you like to collect Tabasco bottles? I bet you’d learn a lot about the process of making Tabasco, the way people distribute Tabasco, and the other seven people in the world who collect Tabasco bottles.

There’s no pressure to write about Willa Cather or Tabasco bottles. And that’s the key. Bust that block wide open. Distract yourself, do some mental stretching, and come back to your writing with a million different ideas that will set your pen flying