I actually feel like there's some good build up. There are a number of things going on, spread out between a handful of characters, all of which is related. Your comment on "no clear direction" might be accurate though, and my overall plot idea has shifted a little bit from what I had in mind originally. That may have been the big problem, and I think it's starting to get better. I think I'm going to put some more thought into where it's going, as a few people have suggested, and see how I do. Thanks all! edit- I should add that there's another story in my head that's itching to get out. It's a bit of a distraction...
I'm going to post this here because it still relates to hitting a wall. I'm starting to have some serious doubts about whether or not I can write a novel. I've always wanted to tell stories, I know that, but I keep hitting road blocks. As an example, I had an idea yesterday that I thought was really good. It was a variation on what I had already been writing, but a little more realized in my head. I thought that would keep me on track. But today, it sounds very amateurish to me. I'm not sure if I could write it, and even if I could, would it be any good? Even with these doubts, should I just try to push through and see what happens? Should I wait and see how I feel about it a few more days from now? I can't be the only one who thinkgs about this kind of thing...
In my experience there are days when your story feels absolutely crap and just a few days later it feels good again. I never understood what these days depend upon, but I've come to look at them as natural. Re the idea, I have also noticed that sometimes when I come up with an idea at night, before going to bed, when I read in through the next day in broad daylight it feels a lot less appealing. Give the ideas some time, see if they stick, if they just fade away within a few days it was probably not a story idea worth executing. If it sticks in your head, and you think about it more often, developing the characters or the plot in your head as you do other things, then it might be one worth giving a try, but no one never has any guarantees on the outcome of their ideas. That's why writing is a little like gambling. If you believe in them you have to take the risk. Even if it sounds like a great idea you might have problem with putting words on it, or give the reader the same images you "see" in your head. You need a lot of patience and time and perseverance. I also think you should be aware of the fact that almost every writer hit roadblocks at some point, even repeatedly. You just need to find a way around them and not letting them stop you.
I just let the whole thing be for as long as needed. (a few hours, sometimes even a day - or two) Eventually the 'need' to write will take over and I'm back in the game. Even if new ideas don't fit in the story at that specific moment, I write down whatever comes to mind and most of the time they turn out to be rather useful. And if they don't, I might be able to use them for my next novel. (because of this I'm often working on several drafts at the time) Basically I try to limit the amount of pressure on myself.
Writer's block Evening... I am a long-time clinician that specializes in the treatment of addictive disorders. I produce a weekly podcast and write for a few websites. Unfortunately I feel tapped out and I'm at a loss to create new material. The last few weeks has found me staring at the screen with nothing to show for it. I'd love to hear some ideas on what I could do to move past feeling stuck. TIA.
Is your podcast about addictive disorders or something else? Or are you looking to write for the websites? Without knowing your topic or what else you've done I'm not real sure how to help you.
What made you passionate about what you do? It sounds like you have become disillusioned with whatever it is you are currently doing? Maybe you should revisit some of your older writing and try and recapture what it was that ignited you in the first place. Going back over old ground with a new perspective is not something to be ashamed of, or worried about - maybe you could right a reflective on where you started and where you have come to. Perhaps you have learned something about addictive disorders that you never knew. Life is a spiral - up or down is up to you, but we always come back around to the same things again and again and again - it is how we deal with that return that decides the course of the staircase - imo.
Just sit down and tell yourself "I'm not going to eat until I finish this podcast." If you get really hungry than you will be forced to write a podcast that is horrible so you can eat the bowl of cereal. After you eat the cereal, you can look at you work and start improving/tinkering with it. I know this sounds silly but its what works for me when I'm trying to meet deadlines. Also, I've never written a podcast so feel free to ignore this.
I have had a similar problem. I come up with ideas bit they all seem to lead me down a dead end road... I know I have been having a lot of things happening in my personal life which can be nearly 100% of my problem. I am moving soon and it will be to an area where I can relax and let myself be "me" again. Maybe you're experiencing a similar situation? And if so, you may need to get away from the negativity/stress that blocks you from being the writer you were....
I totally agree with that. You probably have tons of ideas, even if they are not ideal. Just write about them anyway. I have found that by the time a story is done it is almost nothing like the original thought. You have to let it develop, and eventually it might become something you like.
What ParanormalWriter said was really cool. I get rid of writers block by watching films or reading books that are just amazing and inspire me, or I listen to music and run because when I do this, tons of ideas always come into my head. I've heard stream of consciousness helps a lot and also prompts.
I agree with that but when people say that you have to sit down and force yourself to write even if you've got no words, it makes me laugh. Like Bukowski mentioned, the result from that is a bunch of forced scenes and bad writing that you'd be better off deleting. Go out and live, experience things, don't sit at home all day and punch keys. It won't take you anywhere.
Yeah that's very true. I had a writer's class last semester, and I found I was very disappointed with a lot of my work, because it was just too forced. I find though, that when I have a lot of ideas, but can't get a flow going that classical music (I listen to Mozart personally while writing) helps drastically. I listen to Mozart when I do assignments, homework or just write creatively and it really seems to help a lot. And I'm far from being a classical music fan.
Except to that idea that's going to clear up all that so-called block. Taking a few minute's break is one thing - or deciding to take a vacation from writing for a specific time. But nothing - good or bad - gets written if you don't sit butt in chair and do it.
Nothing will get written if your butt doesn't get out of the chair either. If you've got no life experiences, if you stay in your chair and type, how are you going to write anything good? I never said don't write, that would be just as stupid as saying write all day. But don't write things that are forced and dead. Writing words just to have something on a page doesn't make much sense to me. Do things, go see new places, go look at people, observe everything, ask yourself questions. Just don't stare at a blank page for hours if you've got nothing!
If you're a writer, you're going to write. If you leave it, eventually you're going to come back to it. But you need to develop the source the writing comes from.
Exactly! And it's not like you have to stop writing in general if you're out of things to write one day, or one week. It will come back, and at the risk of sounding arrogant I think most people don't get that inspiration can come from very unexpected places.
Just a question: Even if you have a mountain of work to do, it's still considered progress if you squeezed in ten words, no?
As long as those ten words aren't forced and bound to be deleted once you get into it again, of course it's progress.
Progress is not a quantitative thing for me, no matter what the quality. I believe true progress is actually sitting down, wanting to write and investing all of your time on writing something in which the final product is horrible and you absolutely hate it but then understanding what makes it horrible and realizing why you hate it. This is the best way to improve and make progress as a writer.
Progress is not a quantitative thing for me, no matter what the quality. I believe true progress is actually sitting down, wanting to write and investing all of your time on writing something in which the final product is horrible and you absolutely hate it but then understanding what makes it horrible and realizing why you hate it. This is the best way to improve and make progress as a writer. But the difference is that you're not forcing yourself to sit down and write in this situation, you're actually wanting to write and think what you're writing is good at the time. EDIT there was a glitch on my computer and I double posted. I don't know how to delete my other post though.
Sit down and think about your story. Really. On those days you can't seem to get anything out, just think of the story and see where the scenes go in your mind. Don't edit, don't re-read. Think. It usually only takes a few days before you're excited again (so says the other people I've shared this with).
