Creative Souls discussion
When your stuck
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Lily
(last edited Aug 25, 2016 11:44AM)
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Jul 27, 2007 11:33PM
I have always been a writer but I recentley have had writers block. I used to write almost every day, whether it be a poem, story, or just a journal entrey. But i cant write anything. Does any one have any advice?
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Get out and do something that you haven't in a while or see something new like a museum or movie. This will clear your mind and get you refreshed. Watching a pot of water, never makes it boil. Waiting for something to come to you won't happen until you stop thinking about what to write.
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I would like to suggest two books for you.. THE SOUND OF PAPER BY AUTHOR JULIA CAMERON and WRITING DOWN THE BONES, BY AUTHOR NATALIE GOLDBERG.. both classics in growing in your passion, writing.
thank you guys, this is all great advice and i think i will be able to write again soon...
Lily,I get dry spells like this too. I usually read more during this phase, and as suggested already, go out and do things and see things. I sometimes find inspiration in looking at pictures/photos on the internet - I usually google random words that are connected with things I'm interested in and just see what images come up and then try to find a story in the pictures/photos. Be assured, it WILL pass and the words will come back. :o)
I like to step away from the writing and slap on my headphones, then crank up a playlist off iTunes that I know will get me distracted.Sometimes, though, I find that going back and editing previous work is useful too, killing two birds with one stone.
it helps to get unstuck by doing something very physcial and not even thinking about anything at all. paint a house or climb a hill or play a game of soccer or cook and freeze ten dinners or rearrange your furniture. physical exertion and not thinking about writing will get you unstuck every time.
Hi everyone, just joined as a writer and a tremendous fan of Julia Cameron. So I would echo Bonnierose's advice here, Lily, and suggest 'working' through one of her books, especially The Artist's Way. It's basically a 12 week course/committment and if you remain true to it, you'll soon be bursting with ideas again. Good luck!
Have you ever tried clustering? I was taught this technique years ago in a creative writing class I took. Even if it doesn't get you started it's fun to do and see what you come up with. If you are not familiar with it all you do is write down one word. It can be the first thing you see when you open your eyes or it can be an idea or an expression--whatever. Then you just let go and write the next thing you think of and circle it and keep going. When you come to the end of a string--go back to the central idea and start again. Also there is a book called "Bird by Bird" that I have found helpful.
Yes, Cheryl, I agree. Bird by Bird by Anne Le Mott (I think that's the author's correct name)is a very helpful and surprisingly encouraging book.
I too am a fan of Julia Cameron (ESP. her "Right to Write") ... what do you make of Natalie Goldberg?
I hard time with writer's block too when I was writing prose. With prose it was a constant for me and only a few things helped me get past it. Grabbing a new research book, editing sometimes worked, reading the dictionary from front to back, working on other story aspects like drawing maps, and just relaxing on the beach. The latter being the most effective for me. There's nothing like sinking your toes into the hot sand and writing about Egypt. I remember once I was in Winn Dixie and looking at avocados and was struck with an idea that sent me laughing. Folks looked at me funny as I scribbled it down and talked to myself. I had been struggling for 3 months at that point & a piece of fruit was all it took to get me writing.Prose writing just wasn't for me. Once I started writing comic book scripts, writer's block all but disappeared. :) I knocked out 1-51 page issue, 2- 24 page issues, & laid out 2 more issues of 24 pages. It took less than a month. I still take a writing break, but now it's more borne out of necessity.
I'll have to pick up some of the aforementioned books next time I get stuck. :-)
Blessings,
Lynn
Ditto on anything from Julia Cameron bookwise.One of her ideas is taking yourself (alone) on an "Artists Date" once a week- do something different- see a gallery, go to an antique shop, a flea market, walk on the beach...
I also really like the morning pages. If you aren't familiar w/ it / havent' read the book- you just sit & write- not journaling, not story making, (I suppose some of that can come out) but just stream of consciousness writing.
I also find that walking my dogs helps - no ipod- just me & the dogs & quiet. I get more ideas that way I think... I just had a title of a story come to mind on Sunday- and an idea for a book * 2 different projects, but 2 good ideas.
I also started clipping images from magazines for inspiration. Pretty things from decorating magazines, interesting looking people, etc. I can use it for writing prompts or for painting ideas.
I echo many of these...Rarely am I writing if I'm not reading. Especially in my genre (poetry).
Lamott, Goldberg, Wooldridge (poemcrazy is another of hers) are all great.
One of the things I did a couple years ago was to use a pre-fab list of writing prompts for every day of the year. Even if I didn't feel like writing about that idea on a particular day, I would name a blank word document with the phrase or idea. Invariably, I would be doing something ordinary and mundane and the idea would pop into my mind. Just knowing I had documented an idea and could go back to it at any time seemed to help.
Now that I think about it, I should do that again. :)
Hey Penny, that pre-fab list of writing prompts sounds like a wonderful idea! What are the chances that I could get you to share that file with me?Cindy -- http://www.lantier.org
