On the other hand, I do procrastinate from time to time. Mainly because of this:

My current project doesn’t excite me. I’m not blocked as much as I’m bored. I don’t want to write it so I’m looking for excuses to do other things.

Unfortunately, this happens just too often. Then again, one must pay their bills, so in the end I always force myself to go and write.

I find that if I start in the middle, or work on my putting all of my quotes together in the order I want them in, eventually I will come up with the lead. And then it all seems to fall into place.

In freelance writing, I don’t really have writer’s block – it’s more of trying to find the time to write between all of the interruptions of life.

I also write fiction in my “free time” and yes, I do get writer’s block. It’s not as easy when you have to make up everything.

Personally, I find it better not to force oneself in writing but leave it to the inner urge. However, keep thinking of what and when do you want to write next; this engagement in thinking about writing also works in replenishing motivation to write.

I try to plod through, even when I’m not feeling inspired. One of my favorite quotes is by Stephen King and I live by it.

“Sometimes you have to go on when you don’t feel like it, and sometimes you’re doing good work when it feels like all you’re managing is to shovel sh* from a sitting position.”

I’ve followed the links from commenter’s here on FWJ and I know that the group as a whole contains amazingly talented writers. If we’re all suffering from block at times, but still writing, you know we’re good!

I’ve found that the most effective way to beat writer’s block is to:

A) Apply yourself
Don’t let yourself say, “Oh, I’m blocked, I’m giving up for the day.” Instead, force yourself to write. Make deadlines for yourself, give yourself rewards, whatever it takes. Just git ‘er done.

B) Take a short break
If you’ve been overwhelmed with work lately, maybe your brain needs a break. So go for a half hour, take a bath, take a walk, do whatever it takes. Just refuse to think about writing unless a brilliant idea pops into your mind — and you’ll be surprised how often it happens.

C) Concentrate
Once your break is over, get back to work. No procrastinating, no “I’ll do it in a little while”, no “I’ll just watch the rest of this TV show”. You’ve had your break, now you have to work.

Once you’ve disciplined yourself to do things when you say to yourself that you’ll do them, it’ll become a habit and you won’t have to make yourself do them anymore.

Now to step off my soapbox and skulk back to my Word document that’s jeering at me in the background…

I, too, worked for a daily newspaper – part of the reason I freelance today. For me there came a time to choose – deadline stress to the max or deadline stress I choose.

While I realise this is not exactly what you were implying, this experience reiterated to me the necessity of scheduled procrastination. Sometimes we cannot afford not to.; however, I could have lost my relationship with this client.

One week did it for me, and while I had not budgeted it, in the long run it paid off.

When it comes to article writing/grant writing/topics where I know what I need to write, it’s usually exhaustion or boredom that keeps me from getting my work done.

Regardless of the source of my blocks, I find that “scheduled procrastination” helps. Allowing myself time to read a book, surf the Internet, or take a nap in the middle of my workday is often all I need to get my motivation (or inspiration) back.

Okay, let me clarify that. I’ll let fiction writers off the hook. I can totally understand a fiction writer sitting in front of a blank screen and feeling…nothing. (Of course, they could always go work on their outlines or character sketches, but I’ll give them this point). But not article or non-fiction writers.

So what do I do know when I am totally uninspired by an assignment, and I can’t think of a punchy way to get the story rolling? I start writing in the middle instead. Or I make an outline. Or I pick out the best quotes from my notes. I get started SOMEWHERE. And often, that’s all it takes.

Moral of the story: think you have writer’s block? Just get started somehow! Start writing! You can always go back later and delete or rewrite. Just start.

Non-fiction? More procrastination than anything else. We have a house full of little kids, so that takes time and drains my inner resources. When I’m drained, it can seem like writer’s block is completely physical, a block of granite sitting on my whole body. Those times I don’t want to do anything but surf or hide in a room with a book.