When you’re going through blocks, you might as well stack them into a castle before they close you into a prison.

Last month I wrote an article about creative rehearsals. The core idea is that you can turn procrastination time into rehearsal time. You’ll still be avoiding your work for a bit, and your desk won’t get as sparkly clean as the usual avoidance methods, but you just might clear some headspace for the muse.

In this article I’ll walk you through six examples of creative rehearsals you can use for nonfiction writing, working in some of my article brainstorm template questions along the way. At the end I’ve got more exercises you can try, if you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone and into some new sandboxes.

Drama & Journal Rehearsals

Let’s start with a conversation. I’m going to take off my writer’s hat and put on a drama mask, and I’ll invite you to play act a little scene with me.

Pretend we’re at a cafe, coffees at hand, having a pleasant conversation. Pretend you know me, and I’m a person you’re attracted to. Maybe romantically because I’m attractive, maybe intellectually because I’m smart, maybe socially because I’m charismatic. I said pretend. Whatever the reason is, you want to impress me. And I just asked you about what you’re working on.

You tell me you have an idea for an article.

Oh? I say, what kind of article? What’s it about?

After the initial wave of social panic tapers off into subtle worry lines, you dig down to grab the strand that first piqued your kitten-like curiosity. You tell me what’s so interesting about this topic. You tell me your point of view on it, and why you care about it so much.

I ask you, why I should care?…are you just trying to entertain me?

Then entertain me. Tell me the story. Keep it short and to the point, because remember we’re at a cafe. It’s busy and noisy, and I might interrupt you with questions. So tell me what motivates your subject, the main character in this story, what…