WHAT IS WRITER'S BLOCK?
According to Wikipedia, Writer’s Block (WB) is “a condition, associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task in hand. At the other extreme, some "blocked" writers have been unable to work for years on end, and some have even abandoned their careers.”
WHAT CAUSES WRITER'S BLOCK?
There is no specific reason for writer's block though in some cases their might be; origins and effects vary greatly from person to person, just like inspiration and style vary from one writer to another. There are many ways to trigger writer's block; anger or sadness may impede one writer’s efforts, and at the same time could fuel another writer's creativity for writing. Some common causes of writer's block are:
- Write what we have to write, not what we want to write
HOW CAN COMPUTERS CAN HELP YOU FIGHT WRITER'S BLOCK?
The best way to overcome writer's block is to figure out what is causing it and solve that problem. If you are unable to determine the source of your writer's block, there are several other things you can do to overcome it and jump start your writing. The most obvious method is to force yourself to write.
Most people worry about how to start writing, where to begin, and how to
write it. Usually the difficulty is not in deciding what you want to write about, but how to vocalize and convey what you have to say in a way that the writer is happy with.
In this case computers will help you generate your ideas
and combine all resources needed together for you in one place... because that's what they are for! Some of the greatest writers come up with their ideas out of the blue - just surfing the web late night until they stumble upon something that inspires them. You can expect fewer delays through using word processors instead of the old fashion paper and pen. Word processors enable ideas to flow effortlessly from your brain
to a screen, not to mention having handy resources like YouTube, Wikipedia, Google, and many other sites that may not even be discovered yet just a click away. Also, you can use computers
to compose documents a lot faster than other methods, be it PowerPoint presentations, Excel documents to make schedules, or even experimenting with structure and phrasing what you want to say. The possibilities are endless with computers because if you don't understand something that you are working on, or maybe you need some creative input, there are so many resources and application available. "Just Google it."
Letters, notes and reports could be enhanced by the addition of graphs and artwork to make data clear and demonstrate clarity and professionalism. One should use WordArt to insert unique text effects to your document. You can also make a larger title, twist text, make text fit a preset shape, or apply a gradient fill. The WordArt that is inputted into a document turns out to be an object that you can shift or place in your document to insert decoration or emphasis. You can import charts, diagrams, and designs created in databases, worksheets, graphics, or draw and paint programs. Readymade pictures, called clip art, can be used to represent or demonstrate information. Usage of such visual attachments greatly expands the formality and effectiveness of documents and can incorporate a new perspective on written documents, oral communications, and web pages. There are so many programs out there that are constantly redefining what is expected for composition of these three areas. Below is a link to a video and another video describing some handy tips when creating word documents for how to change a regular word file from normal or boring looking to professional and eye grabbing with simple but significant formatting.
