Writers' block is my worst enemy. D: Sometimes I have these bright ideas and the next second, bam! I'm lost with what to do. Sometimes I have to wait for some kind of ideas to hit at me and if that doesn't work, I give it a break for that day. TT;
My cure has been to keep writing ... but something else. Whenever I get any kind of story idea, I begin writing it right away. Because of this I usually have between 2 - 5 WIP at any time. I will focus on one manuscript at a time, but if I get stuck, feel lost, or feel like the characters aren't act right ... well, then I just close the file and start playing with one of my other manuscripts. Eventually, I will move back to the main one I am working on when I feel it calling me back. Or sometimes I will just stop writing fiction and type up a little 500-600 word article for the trade magazine I write for. I keep writing, I just get away from the manuscript that has me stuck.
Guess you need to avoid getting stuck in writing by simply being prepared. I tend to say that the story needs to be written before you sit before the blank page. I do it this way and I never had felt like I had a writer's block. I'm already writing for months and the only problem I have is that most of my sentences look like s**t. But who cares? The story needs to be told and everything can be shaped up once 'The end.' is written. Not all of us have the blessing of lyrical beauty at the first time. I think that if you guys feel like you're stuck you need to get your mind rolling somehow and make sure you know what you really want.
I found a great app for writers block. It's named breaking the block, just thought it might help out if any one is stuck.
Breaking the block I've been using the Breaking the block app, it's pretty good. I got it at the apple app store
When I can't write I talk to other writers, or watch a show movie or read a book that is related in some way to my own story. I keep a tape recorder near by just incase I see something I might want to twist to fit my needs. If all else fails, well there is always basking in the affections of your loved ones, or simply heading the to beach with a pillow in hand. I can't tell you how many nights I have slept on the hood of my car. I have always found something freeing in the sound of the waves craching aginst the sands with nothing more then the call of the wild for me to hear. I have also been known to hide myself in rpg games, sometimes removing yourself from reality is the best way to find your voice again. I have never considered myself "lazy" nor would I say that not being able to find your voice means that you are making excuses. That being said if you have a deadline, you have to figure it out. ok so you don't have any ideas that you do like write about one that you dislike less than the rest. Every now and again you find a gem hidden in the rubble. Blue Lotus
So, maybe this problem isn't all that uncommon, but it's bugging me nonetheless. I can't seem to write anymore. I've been writing steadily for the past few years, mostly because I majored in Creative Writing, so always had workshop deadlines to meet and what not, and had little time to procrastinate. I graduated in December, and don't start my MFA program until September. It's been since December that I've written anything subsequently. I don't know, I'll begin to write, can't find the words, and then give up in frustration. Even posting on forums, something I've done nearly all my life, is difficult these days. I can't seem to manage to write a coherent post that is up to par with my usual stuff. Truth is, I'm terrified that when I do start my program, I'll be writing like an amateur again. I've tried everything that normally helps me -- writing prompts, reading, revising old work. Nothing is working. I'm quite anxious in my day to life, so that might be a reason why I have no motivation to write, let alone sit still. I don't want to take medicine for it because I'm afraid it will alter my creativity, as I've heard happened to some people. But I guess it doesn't matter a whole lot since I'm not producing anything anyway. Usually though, when I've been depressed writing would help me. Now it's starting to feel like a chore I'm forcing myself to do, which is a bad sign for me, because I usually enjoy writing so much. Any advice? I really want to get back into this story I started writing, but I can't tap into the voice, can't manage a coherent sentence.
Procrastination is the theif of time. I carry around a note-pad and a pen with me wherever I am and just start free-writing the story. Had a terrible time starting my last idea...I sat at my comp for like...two days straight unable to come up with any ideas. Then at work during break the first paragraph got into my head and I was able to write up a rough draft of the first part easily. Once I write it up it'll be about 2-3 pages in legnth, before double spacing, and then I'm sure I'll be able to continue up with the next part easily as it ties in. It's three parts and each part is separated by the timing of the day. - Daytime, Late Evening, Mid-Night.
A couple things I do when I'm having trouble writting - Pick a theme song for the scene I'm trying to write. Then I listen to the song over and over while I write the scene. Make a schedule for myself. Write down on a calendar what I need to get done each day/week. Meet with a writers' group. When I know I have to hand out a scene or read it outloud (cringe) I get terribly creative. Write a dump or some call it stream of conscious writing. Another thought is that a girlfriend was having a terrible time writing a fight scene and it wasn't until she made up with her husband that she finally was able to write the scene. Sometimes you have to figure out what the real problem is and fix that.
Create some structure in your life? And give your self deadlines and reasons to write. The difference between self motivation is the difference between successful people and non successful people.
Sounds like you're the opposite of me. As soon as I get a deadline, I lose all motivation and just stop working on something, even if it's just something I've done. I lose motivation if I tell too many people about it, or if I say, "In a few months, I'll have this finished" or so on, so forth. Last time I did that, I figured out how long it should take, at minimum, to write the 60,000 word story I had planned slightly, and I put some markers in my phone calendar, like, (7000 words, so many chapters // 14000 words, some more chapters // et cetera). The next time I went to write anything on it, I just sat there and stared at it. Then I quit and went on with something else.
I doubt that very much. Your writing, IIRC, is evocative, is assured and has polish. No chance you'll be writing garbage. Look after yourself. Spend some time with good people. See what comes of it.
I definitely also use your music strategy! I feel like I can think alot better with music. Has to be with headphones though, otherwise it doesn't feel like im in my own little world ...
If you like working on deadlines and suddenly have no deadline to race toward, then I recommend a bit of software called "Write or Die." There's a desktop version, but it's also free online in someone's blog. You have a textbox to write into, and if you stop typing for too long, you'll have consequences. You can pick how long of a grace period you want (5, 10 or 20 seconds I believe), what consequences do you want (pop-up box, obnoxious music, or slowly having your words eaten), and you can set a time goal and word goal for yourself. Once you meet the word goal, you're "Safe" from the consequences, but when you're under the word goal, you can only pause once. If you google "Dr. Wicked Write or Die" you can find it. I think it's quite helpful and use it all the time.
Make deadlines? Sounds like you're so used to deadlines that now that you no longer have it, you're a bit lost. Same thing happend to me when I graduated and no longer had things to do. I was a bit lost and felt like I was wasting time with what little I was doing. A part of that was that I had so much free time that I couldn't decide on what I wanted to do as I wanted to DO everything. Before, I had things that were decided for me - projects and things related to class, but when I suddenly had no limitations, it took me a while to figure out which projects to pursue and which ones could wait. My suggestion is not necessarily random writing prompts, but actually writing something you're intrested and have always wanted to do. It could even be that you need a break and this is your mind telling you take a break. Maybe you could make it an experiment of sorts - have it part active, part writing. Do somethign that requires you to do active research - so visiting your local mourge and interviewing someone there and then writing about it. It could be researching your city, but whatever it is, try to come back and write something about it. Blogging my even help in your case.
Well, I took your advice and gave myself my own deadline, until the end of the night. Completed a story from start to finish. I suppose the motivation of wanting to write when I feel unable was motivation enough, if that makes sense.
Sounds awful to me. It'd probably just make me flustered and write terribly. Also what if say I need to pause to look up some fact or figure, or to have tea? Might work for some but not my cup of tea.
Yay! Well done! I have never worked towards a deadline when it comes to writing and I wonder how I would react to it...especially if I did that on a regular basis. I think it would make me a little blocked, but in the same time I have done a NaNoWriMo-experiment by myself and fond there was no problem reaching the goal of 1600-something words a day. I guess in my case it might depend on how much planning I have done beforehand. Just writing 1600 words a day with no clue whatsoever what to write about would be a disaster, no doubt about it.
I have writer's laziness. Pure and simple. Sometimes, the words just come easy - you are completely in your zone, and other times, it's just a pain in the ass to sit down and write. No inspiration, no joy, just - well, like writing a paper for school. Makes me sad. What do you do when you find yourself in writer's laziness? How do you get back into the excitement you once felt when writing on your story/novel/poem etc... Usually, I find my problem is that I'm distracted. Too much I'm thinking about, too much I'm wanting to do, and I'm way too scattered to sit and write. A few solutions to this problem. I find one thing, just one small thing, to focus on in my writing and let that be my focal point, my starting point - could be as mundane and cliche as the weather, anything - doesn't mean it stays in the draft, most of the time it doesn't, but it gets me to where I need to be. Another fix - I use my own emotions to get back into the story. If I have a headache, and I'm exhausted, then I let my main character experience that too. If I'm annoyed or just really angry - having that fuel my writing can produce some good stuff! Something else that has worked for me - driving. Usually, I'm just driving home from work and find myself daydreaming about my story and what happens next - I'd imagine it unfold like a movie. I get the best ideas while driving! If none of that works - I'm still being uncooperative, I make sure I check out books on what I'm writing about. If it's a story set in Russia, I start to learn about that country and the language. If the main character happens to be an excellent chef, and I know squat about cooking - I'm checking out a ton of books about cooking. Meanwhile - I take the opportunity to enjoy being entertained by others. Reading a good book, watching a movie, or a TV show I like - as long as I'm engaged in something "fictional" to help my writing I feel like I'm being some-what productive. If ALL else fails. I make myself write 200 words - crappy, horrible, words, then I write 200 more... 400 words I look at what I have and I re-write it, and once I feel like it isn't filled with suck - I find that I have built a nice little dive board to jump from when I make myself come back to write 200 more words. What are some of the things y'all do to help kick start your own laziness? I'm always in need of some good tips!
Friday night, I got an idea jammed in my head for a possible screenplay. I was never really the creative type but I can't seem to ditch this idea. As of now, I'm working on formulating the characters first then working on the plot. However, going about it this way has run me into what seems to be a dead end. I can't formulate my thoughts when I'm actually trying to. It's getting rather annoying. I can't sleep and I can't get my mind off it. Any suggestions out there?
I have to say that if you got the idea in your head for the screenplay, then you need to build up from that. If the idea was a setting or plot point, build around that. Don't just suddenly jump over the character development. You just need to build on what you already have. If you're struggling to develop characters, just come up with their names and a few brief ideas. You can always change them (the names and/or the characters) later.
