Over recent months I've found myself hitting the wall when it comes to my writing as lifes constant punches leave me reeling.
At times writing my latest big novel (you know the one you think will get you a book deal at least in the five figures and make you a household name at long last) has hit the buffers so many time I'm thinking of renaming it Stuttering to a Stop.
Some people might call it writers' block - that condition some people believe doesn't exist - but I know its depression.
When you have depression it can be hard enough getting up in the morning far less crafting captivating text.
So how do you carry on writing when you're depressed?
First of all have you been to see your doctor? Treatment can help ease your depression although it doesn't work for everyone.
1. Be kind to yourself - So you haven't hit that two thousand words a day target you set for yourself or made that massive breakthrough in the plot that will have you manically dancing around the room. But you have reformatted that tricky paragraph or realised your killer's name shouldn't sound too much like they belong in a cartoon.
Even baby steps deserve credit. Pat yourself on the back now.
2. Take a walk - Familiarity breeds content and that can apply to your own novel. You're so close to it, every word has bled out onto that page forever imprinted in your consciousness. You can get to that stage where you think I've written a load of rubbish and want to delete it or if you're old school toss that novel in the trash.
Please don't.
Take a deep breath. Then go for a walk.
I have a rescue dog called Harley who spent the first six months of his life stuck in a house and never taken for a walk. He's now more than happy to sprint/saunter along for miles and be a sounding board for my latest novel.
The last thought is a lie.
3. Get talking to other writers on Twitter or writers' message boards - You're not the first to suffer from depression and talking to others who have suffered too can be helpful.
4. Write a blog post - It can be short and sweet but managing to do any writing at all when you're depressed is an achievement. It can also have help kick start the writing you're doing on that larger project like your novel.
