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Writer's block
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kavi ~he-him~
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Jan 20, 2017 08:58AM
How do you guys deal with Writer's block? What do you do when it hits you?
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What exactly is writer's block? How long does it have to be that you can't write to qualify as writer's block? Is there a range of number words per day that you can write and it would qualify as writer's block?I don't think that I've ever had writer's block. I can usually sit down and write a few hundred words at least in a couple of hours whenever I want, but if I were to have to do that consistently and professionally 5 days a week, then I could see that happening.
Get annoyed when it hits. Yes I can continue to scribble the odd sentence or forum post but the story goes nowhere. Keep scribbling is my answer until the mood or inspiration sets in - there is always editing to do or outlines. Write something different. I have also done exercises in books just to try and kick start the flow.
Philip wrote: "Get annoyed when it hits. Yes I can continue to scribble the odd sentence or forum post but the story goes nowhere. Keep scribbling is my answer until the mood or inspiration sets in - there is a..."
effective techniques for getting over the hump!
I used two tehcnics when face with a serious block. Get away from the whole thing a day or two and stay inside the bubble. The latter deemed to work better for me. I would read what I wrote hoping to better understand the path I was following, do some corrections, read authors who approached a similar plot, do some additional research (I'm more into historuical fiction).
A trick that works for me is to plan ahead what I'm going to write. So if I am taking the dogs for a walk, or cooking, or doing other physical chores, my mind is thinking through the next scene I'm going to write. So when I have the time to write, it flows out onto the screen.
I wrote a few blog posts on this last year, and am getting ready to give a talk at my local library so this is a timely question :) Like much writing advice, there's lots of techniques that might help, but they also might not. It all depends on the person, the situation, and what's actually blocking you.I like to see Writer's Block as a symptom, not a "thing" in itself, in the same way that a raised temperature is a symptom and not the actual disease.
In my own case, I usually find that when I feel blocked it's because I don't yet have the necessary clarity around some aspect of the story. Maybe the plot, the setting, the characters or their motivation. Rather than wait for inspiration, I've learned to recognize the feeling and look inwards for where the grey areas are. I try to picture the story in as much clarity as possible, and look out for the parts that are staying stubbornly fogged up. Once I've spotted the blockage I can pick some suitable tools to clear the way: Outlining, brainstorming, character interviews, character stories, timelines, setting descriptions ... depending on where the fog is, these can all help shine the necessary light to keep me moving. I managed to knock out a whole first draft in this way without getting bogged down, despite the many fog banks along the way.
Throw in some motivational tools, such as adopting the mindset that this is a business and simply showing up each day is important, keeping a time log to keep me honest (and, no, social media doesn't count), and keeping a graph of word count - there's a great sense of accomplishment in seeing that little line creep up week by week. For me, anyway :)
To me, the important lesson is to develop some self-awareness to look past the symptom and root out the underlying cause, then you can take positive steps to tackle it rather than passively waiting for the Muse.
I actually wrote a poem about Writer's block the other day XP
I always finding myself to watch my favorite movie scenes(Marvel or NightAtTheMuseum) and listen to music(mainly: Skillet or NancyDrewSoundtracks) to help with my WritersBlock.
Kavy Jackson Fullbuster ~So everybody come on~ wrote: "I actually wrote a poem about Writer's block the other day XP"are you going to share it or just tease us? ^_-
sure, here it is:Writer's block
When writer's block hits you.
You don't know what to write.
So you just stare at your screen
Trying to figure out what to write.
But your mind is blank.
And the words won't come to your mind.
So you try and take a break.
And walk around, trying to think about what to write.
Then finally the words come to your head.
Then you go back to your screen.
And then you write those words down.
And then you try and find more ideas
And you write those ideas down.
Writers block are difficult.
But you can overcome them
I believe in you.
ha! good meter.
I don't have it; could be that with limited time to write I don't have time for writer's block. There was another thread someplace and the advice was don't force it if you don't feel like writing. I'm sure it will pass.
Alex G wrote: "ha! good meter."thanks
M.L. Roberts wrote: "I don't have it; could be that with limited time to write I don't have time for writer's block. There was another thread someplace and the advice was don't force it if you don't feel like writing. ..."I don't think that facing a writer's block is a matter of having time or not. It just happens to some of us like a headache. It's frustrating, but one simply needs to learn to cope with it by working around it or within it.
M.L. Roberts wrote: "There was another thread someplace and the advice was don't force it if you don't feel like writing. I'm sure it will pass"And that's the part I happen to disagree with. I believe you can be proactive and seek out the source of the block and actively work around or through it. That's not the same as forcing it, it's a matter of choosing not to be a passive victim to it.
Check out SIA on the subject. Writing is like anything else, there isn't a secret, you just need to do it:
- write a paragraph describing a scene
- write a bio for a character
- write a 10 page story - give yourself a few days
But don't sit around reinforcing the idea of writer's block, defining it, examining it, putting all your attention on it, you'll end up with a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you want to write something, you will. Alex asked how you define it, what you actually describing, and that's a good start. Maybe you just need a break.
Good luck!
I'm probably jinxing myself, but I've never met Mr. Block. Some good advice I once read was, just sit back and let your characters do the talking. I find that to be true.
I don't believe in writer's block. Some days people think better other days not. This happens to everyone regardless of being a writer.
I never really had writer's block. Either you have imagination or you don't. Yes, you could have to slow down at times, but never stop completely.
This is the way I deal with writer's block. DON'T WRITE ANYTHING. Your brain probably needs a rest. It needs fresh air. Stale thoughts produce stale images. Do something different, but creative. Play some mind games: chess, solitaire, maybe paint, build something, but do something entirely different than writing. Don't read, just create something different than what your desire wants to do. Exercise the brain in different ways. Like my wife constantly tells me: if you don't exercise, you lose it. Exercise doesn't mean doing the same thing you like doing. It means flexing your imagination in different ways. Create. Think differently. Do different things creatively.
When your brain is ready, it will tell you a story. Then you are ready.
