4 Tips to Reconnect With That Novel You’re Writing

After months or even years of burying your head and heart into your evolving novel, you may suddenly feel the urge to delete every word you ever typed. You loathe every character and hate every word. First piece of advice: Don’t erase anything. You wouldn’t be a real writer without bouts of writer’s block and insecurity. Keep believing in your work and find inspiration with the following ideas:

Yoga

Seek out repose from the pages of your book by escaping to your mat and re-energizing your soul. Whether you join other yogis for a reinvigorating practice or roll out your mat in a the corner of your bedroom, stretch out writer’s block and engage in pranayama to inhale new ideas. Moving the body and practicing mindfulness can offer opportunities for mental clarity, spiritual awakening and activation for unlocking new passions. Let go of any dead-end frustrations in Warrior 1 pose, and embrace deep introspection by bringing hands together at your heart chakra.

Coffee Date

Wake up early one day—before the sun rises—and head to your favorite local coffee shop with nothing but an open mind and some money to pay for a frothy latte, a pen, a blank notebook. It’s a coffee date for just you and your head space. Cozy up in a corner chair or table outside without any distractions, and just be. A coffee shop is an environment full of electrifying scents and sounds that can arouse your creativity. Soak in the energies surrounding you, from two chatty friends catching up to steamed milk pouring into a mug. You just may provoke the theme for your next incredible chapter.

Hair

Get a new look for a new you and new perspectives. Chopping bangs à la Zooey Deschanel or dyeing your locks from mocha brunette to honey blonde is a risky and exciting change. Allow the excitement to engulf your essence and perhaps inspire a thrilling alteration to your plotline or new character development. As women, our hair is a big deal—and for the girly and creative writer-type, bangs and dyed tresses can have profound inspirational effects. Even a messy braid or hair chalk can help unleash hidden creativity.

Book Betrayal

Escalate your brain functioning by going on a writing hiatus and picking up a good book to read. Reading a gripping new book can heighten brain connectivity and neurological changes, according to research from Emory University. Measurable changes occurred in the left temporal cortex, which is the part of the brain associated with language receptivity and sensory motor. Neurons in this area of the brain trick the mind into believing it’s doing something it’s not. Biologically, reading a book can cause you to “become” the protagonist and experience heightened connectivity for days after.
Reread Wilson Rawl’s “Where The Red Fern Grows” or pick up “A Girl of the Limberlost” by Gene Stratton-Porter. If you can’t commit to an entire novel, read short stories from “The Portable Dorothy Parker” or excerpts of Rumi’s poetic works. Order in Thai food and stock up on a couple bottles of pino. Pull down the shades, light a candle and indulge in a great story.
You’ll be writing again in no time.