Rachael Eyre's Blog - Posts Tagged "writers-block"
Writers' block
Regular readers will know that I've taken to technology like ... well, a gorilla to tap dancing. Rather than the series of five blogs I anticipated, a dicky Net connection means I'll be lucky to write three (or, indeed two). Well, better late than nothing!
Today I thought I'd look at something that plagues most authors during their life: writers' block. I've known a few who say they never get it, or, even more infuriatingly, "it's just an excuse for bad writers". To which I say: balderdash! Everyone works at their own rate; to use a (rather iffy) analogy, just as you get some people who learn an instrument first time, others have to sweat and slog at it. Writers who can write effortless yards of prose are extremely rare; anything worth reading is (at least) the fourth or fifth draft.
If you're stuck on a section, don't freak out- that will only make the problem worse. Try writing another scene, or the same scene from a different angle. Mix and match it up- nothing's set in stone, everything's up for debate. You may find that you like these new ideas and integrate them into the story.
In very rare circumstances, you may have to admit that a story simply isn't working. It's easy to spot the signs: you've been writing it for months but you haven't got past the first few chapters, you genuinely don't know what will happen next (rather than the fun "Let's write this and see where it takes me" sense) and - most telling of all- you're not enjoying writing it. Answer this: if you, the creator, feel bored or indifferent, how will a reader feel?
It may be that you need to scrap what you've written so far and start again. This isn't admitting defeat, nor does it mean that your idea is worthless- Daphne du Maurier threw away what was effectively a full length novel and wrote it again from scratch, worried it would never see the light of day. The book? Rebecca.
Sometimes all you need is some distance. Put it away in a drawer, or don't access it for a while. Do other activities you enjoy- just because you're a writer doesn't mean it has to be your sole pastime. Catch up on your reading; perhaps give a genre you'd never ordinarily read a try. This way you'll be able to see what works, what's popular, what's cliched. Writers are often quick to spot the failings in other people's books but blind to their own.
Brainstorming or talking it over with friends and family can help; also try resources such as TV Tropes. This lists practically every plot point, leitmotif or characterisation to appear in fiction, as well as christening the most obnoxious, overused character type (the Mary Sue). Since there's no such thing as a completely original plot (sadly), they'll help you put a new spin on it.
That's it for today's blog. Tomorrow: throttling your reader with candy floss. I refer, of course, to a poorly conceived love story- and, by extension, a bad love interest.
Today I thought I'd look at something that plagues most authors during their life: writers' block. I've known a few who say they never get it, or, even more infuriatingly, "it's just an excuse for bad writers". To which I say: balderdash! Everyone works at their own rate; to use a (rather iffy) analogy, just as you get some people who learn an instrument first time, others have to sweat and slog at it. Writers who can write effortless yards of prose are extremely rare; anything worth reading is (at least) the fourth or fifth draft.
If you're stuck on a section, don't freak out- that will only make the problem worse. Try writing another scene, or the same scene from a different angle. Mix and match it up- nothing's set in stone, everything's up for debate. You may find that you like these new ideas and integrate them into the story.
In very rare circumstances, you may have to admit that a story simply isn't working. It's easy to spot the signs: you've been writing it for months but you haven't got past the first few chapters, you genuinely don't know what will happen next (rather than the fun "Let's write this and see where it takes me" sense) and - most telling of all- you're not enjoying writing it. Answer this: if you, the creator, feel bored or indifferent, how will a reader feel?
It may be that you need to scrap what you've written so far and start again. This isn't admitting defeat, nor does it mean that your idea is worthless- Daphne du Maurier threw away what was effectively a full length novel and wrote it again from scratch, worried it would never see the light of day. The book? Rebecca.
Sometimes all you need is some distance. Put it away in a drawer, or don't access it for a while. Do other activities you enjoy- just because you're a writer doesn't mean it has to be your sole pastime. Catch up on your reading; perhaps give a genre you'd never ordinarily read a try. This way you'll be able to see what works, what's popular, what's cliched. Writers are often quick to spot the failings in other people's books but blind to their own.
Brainstorming or talking it over with friends and family can help; also try resources such as TV Tropes. This lists practically every plot point, leitmotif or characterisation to appear in fiction, as well as christening the most obnoxious, overused character type (the Mary Sue). Since there's no such thing as a completely original plot (sadly), they'll help you put a new spin on it.
That's it for today's blog. Tomorrow: throttling your reader with candy floss. I refer, of course, to a poorly conceived love story- and, by extension, a bad love interest.
