Thats a helpful thing to know for future dark times.i'll have to remember that.ive had some terrible moments when ive stopped working on something and rewarded myself with reading a new author,only to be blown away by how brilliant and word perfect they are,and so talented,its made me go oh no,the stuff i've been slaving away on is pitiful drivel held up to this major talent.hope you get your mojo working again
I really don't mean to sound rude, but I'm often asked if I get a writer's block, and if so, how I deal with it. My answer is always that writer's block isn't real. No one suffers from it. A lot of people create the problem and think they suffer from it, but in truth, the problem itself isn't real. If you want to write, you will write. Simple as that. In theory, anyway. To elaborate what I mean, you need to consider a few things. None of these might be easy to answer, but it's something to consider. First of all, do you even want to be a writer? I know most of us want to see our names on books in the bookstore, and on the list of the best authors in the country (or world, even.) We all want to be rich and famous. Everyone wants that. But if this is the main reason you write, you might as well stop. Hardly any of us will ever be well known. We won't even be able to make a living from writing. Writing should always be a hobby. You don't get rewarded for writing. Writing is the reward in itself. Second, is the story worth writing? That's usually one of the hardest questions I have to ask myself if I get stuck with writer's block. Far too often, the answer is no. It doesn't matter if I've written a few pages, or two thirds of the book. If it's not worth writing, then why am I writing it? That's what I mean with writer's block being a fake problem. It could simply be that the book isn't worth your time. In this case, I think it's better to scrap it, and rather use the best ideas in another book later. I've lost count on how many times I've written 40+ pages in MS Word, only to scrap the whole thing and start over. Sometimes with a new take on the same story, sometimes with an entirely new story. But every now and I then, I get a story that pretty much writes itself. These are the ones I stick to. Third, if you know only a handful of people will ever read your books, does it affect you as a writer? I follow some people on youtube, and they sometimes give advice on how to be a successful youtuber. All of them say the same thing. What you need to do is start making videos, then just keep at it. Keep making videos on a regular basis, even if you don't have anyone actually watching them. If you keep at it, someone will eventually watch them, and the channel will start to grow. Some have been making videos for years before their channel started to grow. I see books the same way. No one gets very popular with their first book. Many can write a dozen books, and still be unknown to most people. Don't let that stop you. Keep writing because you love to write. Sooner or later, you will have people waiting for your next books. It might not be a whole lot of people, but they are there. To me, that is my biggest motivation to keep writing. I was in the hospital, when a doctor came up to me with a serious look on her face. I was nervous, but she just smiled and asked me when my next book was out. I had no idea she had even read the last one (the first in a series), and now she wanted another one? So the fans are out there. Sometimes in the most unexpected places. It's them I write for. I will never be big and famous, but I have fans. I love to write, and they love to read the books. That's all I want.
How do you know that? Would you also say that, for example, phobias aren't real and no one suffers from them? I've never had writer's block, but that doesn't mean it's not real. Sure, it's physically possible to type words in. And if a person has, let's say, a fear of dogs, it's physically possible for them to run right up to that dog and start petting it. If a person has a fear of heights, it's physically possible for them to climb to the top of a cliff and sit there with their legs dangling. But what's physically possible isn't the relevant factor here. What we're talking about are situations where some part of your brain gets in the way of what you want to do and what you are physically capable of doing.
I see what you mean, but I think that those two problems are only two of many, many possible reasons for writer's block. And if your brain won't let you write, you've got writer's block. We can debate about the cause, but it's still there. A broken arm, for example, came from an external cause, but it's still broken.
I don't see why having a name for the issue would "unduly burden" someone suffering from it. I also don't see why the word would be pejorative when used by someone other than the writer. If I have a migraine headache, that headache likely comes from some external cause. That doesn't mean that I'm unduly burdened by having a name for what's wrong with me. It doesn't mean I'm insulted if someone else suggests that I may have a migraine. They may be wrong, but that doesn't mean it's insulting. Names for things are good. Language is good. As writers, I'd think that we would all value language. And I don't see why people seem to be assuming that "outside influence" is the cause for writer's block. It might be the cause for some writer's block. But why make that assumption?
Aliens despise columnists and reporters. All that clicking of keyboards annoys them to no end while they go about their intense research with their backsides in search of the "Human Brain".
To the OP. I feel ya, and have been kinda in and out with my sequel novel, but I haven't lost my will to write. I find that inspiration for a short can pop up at the most random of times, on any type of subject and then I have to write it out just to set the words free, and maintain my skill as a writer. It is also good to take a break from longer works that are giving you a bit of a stumbling block, so you can come back to them with renewed sense and fresh eyes. And while I am not an advocate for routines, cause I am not one to be forcing anything on the page just to say I write every day. You could try exploring things of interest to you, like topics, educational programs, other stories that you find entertaining. It may spark something in you to write about that, and keep the creative juices flowing. You will find that spark again, just give your brain a bit of a break, and just feed it some stuff that it enjoys for a while. I know it feels rough right now, but it will pass in time and with plenty of 'brain food' to fuel your creative juices. Good luck.
Lol I have been there too. Wondering how a person can write so darn good. But another thing I do when I find a book that has a writing style I really really like, I sort of adapt the style for my own writing. I pretty much found my own writing style now but it has worked for me in the past. I had read a book with this amazing flowery language (which I love) with a moreso contemporary style of word play. Kind of hard to explain. But I fell in love with it and paid close attention to the details and the way things were worded, I practiced coming up with my own words but in a similar style. At first I struggled but eventually I mangaged to mingle it in with my own style. It works.
I always forget to turn off spell check and auto correct. Do a super rough sketch of a scene in your head or on paper then figure out the steps you need to take to make that happen. First drafts are meant to look like steaming piles so don’t worry about grammar, just get the ideas down and keep the plot or story going.
I wouldn't try going back to an old story. Unless they've been plaguing at you, they can sometimes be hard to get into that mind frame of what you were thinking about when you wrote them. You might have lost the connection to them. Happens to me. I'd start with a fresh idea, use music, a picture, or a phrase to inspire you -- try even one of our contests -- I wrote a few of my favorite stories just because of the contests on here. Don't overthink it either. I usually write because it's something I want to read and that's how I produce my best work.
Maybe try listening to a podcast like Writing Excuses? Not just one episode, but as many as you can. Immerse yourself in it. Think about writing, and about what you want to write about. Start developing ideas. Then sit down and write, even if it sucks at first. You can always revise it later.
Another technique is also to not write. Just think about your story whilst doing other chores (for me, doing the dishes or taking a shower really works well and it sometimes unlocks that writer's block, which doesn't exist, by the way, writer's block is just our mind telling us that we're going at it from the wrong angle). Keep a notebook with you at all times to take notes when inspiration hits (or use an app on your phone, like Keep, to write down notes). Use the Pomodoro technique : block all the other apps and social media on your computer and set a timer for 25 minutes and write non stop (kind of like the automatic writing technique described by a fellow forum member). Write, no matter what comes out. Then, when the timer rings, read what you've written and see that pearl you can extract from all those words. I bet that after a few writing sessions, you'll want to keep writing even after your timer rings. Try and enroll in a creative writing class. I know a very good website, WritersHQ, that provides a "14 days to make a good writing habit" class, but I think I'm not allowed to link other sites here so I guess you'll have to use Google for that. Good luck! (I'm also trying to write regularly again, by the way, and it's quite hard with a full schedule.)
Seriously good advice.i get a lot of dialogue and better ideas when im walking.think its got something to do with the exercise and not actually writing like you said.
It's also because you are letting your thoughts and ideas float free instead of trying to put them into words, so your brain makes connection you probably wouldn't think of if you were focusing on writing and getting the words out.
I already had two WIPs I've been having a challenge to write. So early this week I decided to start writing a horror story. Thing is, after a couple days and just two pages written, my gears have grinded to a complete halt. I have all these ideas and things for the story but can't manage to put them together. I stare at the word processor for hours and not a single word comes out of my fingers. I don't know what to say. Help?
Have you tried assembling your ideas into a storyline? When I make a storyline I take all the things that need to happen at certain times and put them in their proper place and that helps give me a storyline/timeline. I can write a short story without one but for novels I do need some direction.
