I get writer's block like nobodies business. I could go on for months with writers block, and that causes me to rebound to other stories, which soon I develop writer's block over those stories. Eh, it's a nasty habit.
I would hate having it that badly. I'm still not at my best but for the most part my writers block is gone. If got it that badly every couple of months I'd go nuts.
How do you get past writers block? I get to the point where I get writers block and just stop writing altogether. I wonder if this happens to lots of people or if I'm just not cut out for writing. Some suggestions welcome here. =)
Like I said, I tried a few writing exercises, my life became slightly less stressful, and I read some good books that helped get my imagination going again. My writers block was entirely stress related. So it might be different from yours. When the stress went away (somewhat), I could write again. When it comes to non-stress related writers block, I can't really help you. The few times I have that problem its for only a day or two, and I usually just write a different story when it happens. I would recommend trying some writing exercises. They do help, even if they seem silly. I finally broke my writers block by using the randomly picked phrase "enie meenie minie mo" in a story. So they can help. Good luck.
You're not the only one. I have stories from back in September I still can't get past. You see, I get past that point when I'm feeling at my absolute worst. I swear I need to go to therapy sessions. It's then that all of my thoughts grow to a point where I can't keep them inside my mind. I have to let them loose, and when I do that I do it all at once and that usually produces a one shot... I think I depend on my mood to write. I can't stand forcing myself to or it comes out horrible and too rehearsed. meh..
Hi i'm new here and was wondering if anyone had advice or anything. I really love writing but tend to find I know what I want to write but can't seem to find the right words!
You'll very rarely find the words you want. It's one of the problems of writing, the words in your head don't match the ones on the page. The only thing you can do is write it down, and keep writing until you can't write anymore. Come back after a nice relaxing break and read it over again. It will usually look better later on.
I agree with Domoviye, basically just write out anything that pops into your head and then once it is out, go back over it and then see where things can be changed, look some words up in a dictionary if need be to get a more powerful message out with your work. Very rarely will your words come to you with ease, it all takes time. Try writing excercises, and search dictionaries for the words possibly. But really let it all flow out, don't think when you write it out the first time, just let it flow off the pen onto the paper or from your fingers to the keyboard. Eventually even if it takes days, or even weeks, you will get those words out that you want to say, just don't be afraid to express yourself through your words and don't be afraid to let yourself go when you write. Just sit and scribble out random stuff on a sheet of paper if you want, eventually it all comes together and the words are there, trust me this I have done a million and one times in the last 13 years. Anyways goodluck all seeya Ariella
That has got to suck. I have writers block but I hey every writer gets it and we all get over it one day. It is caused from many of things and once you figure out what is causing your block you will over come it. As for everything else, it helps but it doesn't. The more ya worry the worse it gets, writing is not something that you should force, it should flow wth grace and ease. I suggest anyone with block take a few days away and then come back to it every now and then and work with it. Eventually it will go away so don't stress.
I find writers block often comes with not knowing which direction you should go in with your story-try plotting it out and if you have already done that-add something interesting to get you excited over it again. sometimes i eve skip ahead past parts i cant seem to make work and write the whole next scene and come back to the troubled scene and fill in the blanks. hope this advice helps some of you out.
Does it help by actually writing a story planner first? I've had a story in mind I want to do for a while now but putting it into words i'm having trouble with
I think for most people the story they write tends to evolve as they go along, so I don't think sticking ridgidly to a story plan is necessary, but it is nevertheless useful to have a general idea of how you want the story to progress. Personally, I can never seem to get all my ideas into a coherent whole.
Give it a shot. If you can't write it as is right now, it definitely can't hurt. Just make sure its not all set in stone. Having the outline, and even key scenes thought out and on paper is good, but refusing to deviate even if the story calls for it, isn't. Good luck.
i totally agree. the outline for me is a must. I do the spider web planing that i learnt from school hahaha(if you dont know-i cant explain it) i am such a dork haha but hey use what works right
yes, well, its been awhile since Ive posted here, about 3 months. I want to start writing a new story, but for the last few months, I haven't come up with a plot that is anything that I would expend effort upon. I do have a main character that is well developed through use in other stories, and I want to keep him for this one. But I have no inspiration, or even the faintest clue of a plot. Any ideas? Any at all?
Take a bit of exercise, perhaps go for a walk, you never know, things can easily form this way, i often get ideas, did do, when on the bus For instance: Not that I was eavesdropping or as such, but these girls were talking pretty loud. It wasn't boring what they were talking about, but from what I gathered, i figured I could make a pretty good story, on the foundation of the conversation i had just picked up from the girls You'd be suprised
thank you! thankyouthankyouthankyou!!! I went for a run, and now I have a fresh, new, ready-to-be-developed plot!
ok, tell me what you think of the beginning below: There are no atheists in a foxhole. This was the one thought that had repeatedly surfaced in Captain Danny Steele's mind, especially now as he passed the Baker Line's fourth line of defense. The pairs and squads of infantry huddled in the damp foxholes greatly contrasted the mammoth concrete bunkers of the fifth line that lurked in the forest two hundred yards to the rear of the former. The officer had never though of himself as a religious man, but recent events had forced him to reconsider. Iraq had been a cakewalk, or at least for his unit. In the Sandbox, where his enemy's weapons were outdated by forty years, he was invincible: he was a child among ants. But here, in the European Theater, his enemy was on the same level as he, both in technology and discipline. In the Middle East, it had taken the Insurgents a disproportionate amount of planning and resources to seriously endanger any of the twenty tanks under the Captain's command. In the ETO, however, it took merely the squeeze of a trigger by an enemy soldier to threaten his men. The immense stress of not only his own impending fate, but also that of the 75 men directly under him, was nearly driving him crazy. Maybe I'm not the commander I thought I was. The five ton truck under Steele bumped violently as its left-side wheels dipped into a mud-filled pothole, but the twelve soldiers in the bed had braced themselves in time as not to fly out of the open rear of the cargo bay. He was offered the passenger seat in the heated cab of the “Bigfoot” truck, but he passed it up for the chance to sit with his men in the miserably cold air. The canvas cover over the bed helped to insulate some of the body heat of the men, but it was futile to try to maintain any warmth in the Belgian cold. A flight of two Apache helicopters emerged above the tops of the evergreen pines behind the seven-truck convoy, flying at cruising speed to the east and slowing. The heavy, pulsing buzz of the rotors passed quickly, but the image of the attack choppers stayed with the Captain. He had heard rumors in the rear echelon that little more than half of the helos that went out returned. This gave Steele pause, but he was not surprised: stories relayed by fellow tankers had conveyed the almost mythically brave exploits of the Apache drivers. Nonetheless, the officer felt a sense of loss that he couldn't express. All grunts were his brothers-in-arms, but the helicopter crews would be who he would depend on should the battle turn against Steele's tanks. Steele clapped his gloved hands together and rubbed them against the biceps of his crossed arms. He felt naked, but not due to the cold. He was wearing three layers of government-issue Army Combat Uniform fatigues, a kevlar infantry helmet with cover, and a shoulder holster with a 9mm pistol tucked away in his left armpit, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that something was horrendously wrong. Indeed, he was missing his tank, and Steele could identify it as the reason for this feeling, but he felt scared simply by the fact that he had become psychologically dependent on a piece of heavy machinery. more already written and certainly even more coming!
I absolutely LOVED the opening sentence... that was pretty catchy i would wanna remove that line in between though, the Maybe I'm not the commander I thought I was. It just doesnt sound right.
My thoughts are exactly the reverse. The opening line has been used so many times, I feel that Steele should be acknowledging how cliched it is, even though he can't get it out of his head. But I liked the self-doubt jumping out on its own between the second and third full paragraphs. It practically echoes there.
I want to write. I really do. The topic I want to write about, is a topic I love. However, every time I get started, I read what I've typed, think to myself, "Ya, like anyone wants to read this crap!" then close the document. How do you find the motivation to not only start writing, but continue to write, even when you don't feel what you are writing is anything anyone would ever want to read. The thing is - I know there are people who DO want to read what I am writing - I just feel an obligation to do it really right and that is overwhelming. Thanks in advance! Brandy
I ignore the fact that whatever I write is crap, and bank on the fact that the human race is stupid and impressionable so they won't notice how crappy I am. (No offense, human race!)
I can relate. I come up with many story ideas. Yet in the last few years I've only written three stories I've wanted to share. One of these I have completely revised with help from this forum, another I'm in th eprocess of rewriting, and the third I just wrote, and haven't yet had time to become dissatisfied with it. More often, I'll write a page, become disgusted, and delete it. Even more often, I never start writing before I flush it. I have more problem with writers who think every word they write glows in gold, though. It is discontent that makes you go back and improve your writing. I hope I never disparage the intellect of anyone who decides to read what I write, though. In sports, or chess, or many other competitive pursuits, the better your opponent, the better your game will be as well. Writing is not naturally competitive, but there is still a tension between the author's intent and the reader's comprehension and appreciation. If you write for a sophisticated audience, I believe you will write your best. But back to the topic at hand. I think there is no easy answer, but to try not to judge yourself on a work in its infancy. If the thought you began writing with held enough promise to inspire you at first, it probably is worth putting effort into developing. Even if you discard it later, the effort alone exercises your imagination. Maybe we should not delete the "crap", but keep it in a scrapbook. Every once in a while, dust off the scrapbook, Maybe you'll look at something you wrote, and say, "You know, this is flawed, but maybe this idea is worth taking in a different direction." And maybe I'll even try doing that.
