Hi all, I wanted to get your opinion on something. Lately I am finding out that I am running into writer's block a lot more than I used to. I have written a few books already which have been sent to editor to review but the agent began hounding me to write more and so I agreed. For the new novel, I had a pretty good idea, knew how it would begin and end but writing the middle became too laborious. It would seem like I was running into writer's block every day. So I decided to pause on that book and start another. But now I am finding my self in a similar situation. I open my laptop and stare at the screen for hours. In my previous books, I would have some issues but nothing like this. Thanks and I appreciate all of your help.
Let out your inner sadist to have at your characters. Hurt them, maim them. Fluster them. That should help you develop your plots. But if your writer's block is procrastination, as is often the case, you just need to put on a set of spurs and start kicking your posterior into motion.
The problem seems like you have started writing these new books without sufficient ideas/inspirations just because your agent hounded you. So, forget about your agent for the time being and just remember the way you have finished your earlier books. I think that will do the trick.
Yea I think that definitely is part of the problem. With my 2nd and 3rd books (the ones that are sitting at the editor's desk) as well as my 1st book, I worked on them at my leisure and whenever inspiration stuck. But with having an agent/publisher, I mean I knew I would be asked to write more quicker but I guess trying to stick to this rigid schedule is driving me somewhat crazy. As if I am trying to will myself to come with new ideas or characters on the spot.
Hmmm I was asked some years ago to write two articles(which eventually became my first two published articles) for a magazine. Before that, I used to write only in my leisure when I was inspired. The editors gave me fifteen days to complete it. I had no idea what to do. There was this sudden drought of ideas. There was also this fear of letting the editor (who obviously believe in my writing) down in the back of my mind which didn't help me write at all. Sitting in front of my laptop for hours didn't help me. And I realized (thankfully), like Cogito said, it was time for me 'to put on a set of spurs and start kicking my posterior into motion' I went about doing my normal routine but I constantly thought about my articles whole days. When ideas struck I took notes and when I finally return to my laptop, guess what, I was writing again with new inspirations from my notes. I know writing articles is not the same as writing a book, but I guess what I am saying is that you have to learn to get your inspirations when working on a deadline. Now I use this method to complete my projects even when I don't have any deadline.
