Fortunately, I have never had Writer's Block as I have so much stuff tumbling around in my head. Procrastination, however, is very high on my list of skills!
I generally have several projects on the go at the same time so, if I want a break, I switch to a different topic. Remember, I write non-fiction so for me, b the time I start to write, the details are already sorted into some kind of order in my head. The Contents list submitted to a publisher in a proposal is already planned.
If you do get stuck, go out for a cuppa and imagine a character who has never been here before. Describe it all in detail. One of the exercises in my creative writing degree was to describe what it felt like when you put your hand inside a paper bag containing a sticky toffee bun. Nice!
Here's an example of some notes from a recent train journey:
People on the train - an old man, shorts and sandals (with socks of course), black T-shirt and beige linen jacket. Could be quite smart, but thinning white hair is too long and sticking up/out at strange angles. Sun-tanned face so looks like an outdoors person.
At a table with lap-top open straight away. Fascinating assortment of munchies laid out - dried fruit, nuts, all seem quite healthy. No drink? At the next stop a woman, probably in her 50s, arrived with a blue and pink flowery carrier bag and a huge turquoise blow-up dinosaur - yep. It sways and bobs on its long string, very off-putting seeing it pop into my line of vision from behind!
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