For my first post here on Romantic Inks I’ve decided to tackle one of the most common subjects on writer’s minds. It seems like on every writer’s forum I belong to the plague of writer’s block comes up on a weekly basis. Some even had whole threads devoted to causes and cures.  Well, I’m not going to talk about cures today because if I had one, believe me, I’d be using it. Besides, I feel every writer has to find their own path through that particular thorny maze. I’ve known some who advocate taking a break to get yourself through the slump. Others (myself included) seem to get more benefit from forcing their way through it one word at a time.

What I’m going to bring up instead is a less well-worn idea: productive ways to spend your time when you can’t write. I’m not talking about procrastinating.  Every dedicated writer knows there’s a time to write and a time to let the old keyboard gather it’s dust—just don’t let that coat of dust get too thick.  But no, what about those times when you genuinely aren’t able to write yet or are still searching for the right idea. There’s no reason for a writer to spend those days or (cream-cakes forbid!) weeks doing nothing. So here’s an action plan for passing some of that writing-free time without squandering it.

A..  (You know I’ve gotta bring up my favorite motto here.) Promote! Promote! When you can’t summon the mental energy to write take the easier route and make your rounds promoting the work you’ve already got out there or any upcoming releases.  This doesn’t have to be hugely time consuming. Join a readers Yahoo loop and set yourself a goal of making on post there per day. It’ll only take you sixty seconds to drop a short note (just make sure you understand the loop’s promo rules first). And for chocolate’s sake talk about something besides your own books during these posts. Nothing shoos readers away faster than blatant promo. I’ll probably talk more about promo in another post, but for now let’s move on.

B.  Research. There’s a certain peace in sitting in front of your glowing computer screen (or turning the pages of a thick book) while you research possibilities for your next work. Personally, I’ve gotten my best ideas just by scanning the fascinating pages of a history book.  And you don’t have to do this work in solitude either.  If you’re an outgoing person you can get out there and do your research with face to face interaction. Hunt down your prey—er, I mean the object of your research—be she a librarian, lawyer, or artist, and ask your questions.

C.  Watch movies, read books, surround yourself with the genres you love to write. I’ve always been amazed at the number of writers who tell me they don’t enjoy reading.  Immerse your brain in worlds of romance or mystery.  You never know what awesome ideas will be jogged loose in there.

Anyway, I hope I’ve given you a few ideas for constructive ways to pass that non-writing time while still doing something useful for your career.  Can you think of any other ways to spend your days in writer’s block heck? Feel free to post them below.