We've all been there. We sit down with our notebooks or computers and prepare to write, but as soon as we ready our hand to perform a familiar task, we are struck by an emptiness. You sit there for a second without moving as you try to summon the words. Then you suddenly become uncomfortable and begin to fidget because maybe if you move around you'll be inspired to write. Then it hits you.

Just last week, you were writing up a storm and now you're just sitting there thinking, "Wut r werds." Your muses are silent and inspiration has run dry. This leaves you staring at a blank page testing the bounds of sanity as you try to force the words to flow. Just know that this happens to all writers, but you well get through it. So here are some ways to kill time until you work through writer's block.

1. Troll social media.

Who are we kidding, we spend more time scrolling through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram than actually writing. It kills time and gives you time to process your writing. Unfortunately, you can only refresh the page so many times before you realize that no one is going to post something new every few seconds, so you'll have to get back to work.

2. Find new music.

Music is both relaxing and inspiring. Try taking a break from the songs you know all too well, though. The familiarity might be keeping you in a rut.

3. Revise old work.

It's productive and the work is already there, you just get to make it better. It may be another form of procrastination, but as long as your working on something it will help pass the time until you find something new to write. You'll have to do it eventually so take a writer break and be a critic and an editor.

4. Pick up a hobby that doesn't involve writing.

You could bake, draw, knit a blanket or do something completely crazy and start training for a marathon. The goal is to stay productive and focused in some way until you're ready to channel that energy back into writing.

5. Cabin fever is not the answer.

Stephen King has made it quite clear in "The Shining" and "The Secret Window" that nothing good can come from a reclusive uninspired writer. No one wants to deal with that kind of crazy. So, get out of the house. Meet up with some friends or just sit in a public place and people watch. Who knows maybe one of them might make an interesting character.

6. Search for inspiration from other writers.

Open a book and start reading. Read a familiar one to reconnect with your love of words, or start a new one for a refreshing new style. This could also involve watching movies that feature writers like "Finding Neverland," "Not Another Happy Ending," "Becoming Jane" or "Shakespeare in Love."

7. Write something.

Sometimes the best way to get past writers block it to just work through the pain. The best advice I've received from a professor on how to handle writer's block is that “you just keep writing.” He said that “you lower your standards and allow yourself to write poorly.” Try using writing prompts if that helps, or experiment with a new genre. The goal is to get the words down on paper. If they don't sound right, that's fine because you can always revise it later.