Writer's block happens. It's the bane of those of us who write professionally and yet it is so easy to remedy. Let me share with you some of my techniques for overcoming this malady and what I do daily to prevent it.

1. Pick up a book, preferably something whose subject is completely different from that which you've been writing. I prefer mysteries or science fiction, like Dean Koontz or Michael Crichton.
2. Go for a walk outside. It is psychologically impossible to remain depressed while being in Nature. Let your mind wander as you explore the trees, grass, animals, and feel the wind in your hair and sun on your face.
3. Take a nap. Often, we are trying to write at the end of a busy day, so our creative resources have been tapped out.
4. Address those things in your environment that demand your attention before trying to tap into your creativity. You will have trouble maintaining a train of thought if you are interrupted every couple of minutes.
5. Exercise or do a strenuous activity before writing. By getting your blood pumping, you are increasing blood flow to your brain and allowing it to operate at a higher efficiency.
6. Keep a journal handy and write in it regularly. Many times, the words are there in our head but they are having trouble coming out because our head is crammed full of other information, like a "to do" list, appointments, what's for dinner?, and the like. By downloading all of the extraneous information into a journal, we are freeing out creative energy to focus only on what we are doing now.
7. Along with the previous, keeping a journal allows you a constructive outlet for any anger or frustration you are feeling. Rather than holding onto that negative energy, you can transfer it to the journal instead of it sapping your creative energy.
8. Read for pleasure. By this, I mean read something that isn't an e-mail or work report or textbook for school. Read something that has no other function than to give your mind a short holiday. Just like going on vacation to give your body a rest of the rigors and routine of your job, reading for pleasure gives your mind a break from its everyday routine. The added benefit is it helps give you other ideas to incorporate into your writing.
9. Don't take your writing too seriously. Keep things light. Even if you write professionally, you are not your job. It is when you start adding needless pressure to your mind that your creative energy gets blocked. Be willing to walk away for a few hours or even days to recoup your creative energy.
10. Don't edit while you are writing. Just let the words pour out of your mind and onto the screen. After you've written all you need to write, then go back and edit. Since the editing process uses the other side of your brain, the switching back and forth between writing and editing will needlessly interrupt your flow of words and that gem you are creating with your words will slip back into the hidden depths of your subconscious.

There you have it. These ten different things have helped me tap into the hidden corners of my mind to write things I didn't always know were even there. I still get blockages, but I know how to deal with them before they become permanent and now you do, too.

Good luck and good writing!