# OCTOBER WINNER'S POST - READ ABOUT WRITER"S BLOCK & HOW BERNADETTE TACKLES IT

Nila here again! 

I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating, like all good things - what a crop of superlative writing the October HORRIBLE HARVEST prompt produced! Picking winners out of so many is always extremely hard, but this time Bernadette was a rare unanimous choice by the WEP team.

Judge Nick Wilford said:

"This wasn't the only story with an eco theme, but it treats the subject in such a stark and sobering way that it nudges into first place for me. Amazing to pack something so powerful into so few words."

If you haven't already, please visit the previous post to read all about the winners and other news.

It is our pleasure to share with you a guest post from Bernadette. As well as winning the critique prize from Kyra Lennon, Bernadette writes a guest post for WEP and the IWSG newsletter which will be out soon.

Here's what Bernadette does to tackle writer's block:

5 Ways to Get Rid of Writer's Block

You've probably already heard about the good ol' writer's block. The fact that there are so many articles on the topic acknowledges that it's a widespread phenomenon (Yes, even copywriters who already have a topic and character limit get stumped on where to get started). So then, it's just natural that a writer who's creating something marvellous from scratch gets stuck now and then.

Here are a few of the tips that work for me:

1. Read what others have done

Make a note of what you want to write about and do a quick Google search on it. It’s a great way of finding inspiration

Warning: This method is also quite a time killer so be sure that you have a way of keeping yourself from going down the rabbit hole.

2.  Listen to music (or do whatever helps you think)

Listening to music helps me think. I usually enjoy rock, blues & pop and they inspire me in different ways. Try using a random line from the song you're listening to as a prompt. It may lead nowhere but believe me, it's fun. Alternatively, if music doesn’t work for you, try something else that helps you think. It could be anything from bouncing ideas off a friend to taking your dog for a walk.

3. Dream

Imagine if you were living in your WIP's world. You could probably bump into one of your characters on your way to work or have one of them plotting a sinister plan right behind you. This is a great way to understand how to move on ahead (almost like looking at a 3D model of a human organ to understand it better). Just bear in mind that this method has the same limitations as point one.

4. Wait

Sometimes the answer to a problem is to just let it be. Do something else that you enjoy or need to get done. It's a better way of staying productive instead of staring blankly at a screen/page. You’ll also end-up spending your time in a much better way.

5. Write about it!

Let your writer's block work for you. If your block is not letting you write, just use it as an inspiration and write a tale about how it's affecting you or ways to combat it. I just did.


Thank you, Bernadette, for these creative ways to get over writer's block, my favourite's gotta be 4! Let the writing find me instead of the other way round! 

Join us for the final 2019 prompt in December as we round up another landmark and creative year at Write...Edit...Publish...

Check out ideas from the WEP 2019 Challenges Page for the next prompt ..or not. Go with your own if you like...

More details in Laura's post on December 1st. In which she introduces the prompts and the directions we take in 2020...See you there!

Till then, happy and blockless writing! 

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We'd love if you'd Tweet one of these:

The WEP 2019 October Challenge Horrible Harvest Winner's Post - @TheIWSG @DeniseCCovey  https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/11/october-winners-post-read-about-writers.html #amwriting #flashfiction #WEPFF

How unblocked are you? October Challenge Winner's Post @TheIWSG @DeniseCCovey  https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/11/october-winners-post-read-about-writers.html #WEPFF #amwriting #flashfiction

Join @TheIWSG @DeniseCCovey for the Winner's Post Horrible Harvest  https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/11/october-winners-post-read-about-writers.html 
#WEPFF #amwriting #flashfiction

What has the winner harvested? Join @TheIWSG @DeniseCCovey for the winner's post https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/11/october-winners-post-read-about-writers.html  #WEPFF #amwriting #flashfiction

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