(per-say.) though it's pronounced that way, it's a latin term and is written as 'per se'... means 'in and of itself'... sorry if that's off topic, boss, but you know us virgos! ;-)
In my experience the only "cure" for writers block is to write. Sounds obvious and it should. It is like going to the gym, when you've been going and then stop it's really hard to go back but once you do it's not so bad. As far as generating ideas I have a couple of methods I use. 1) Write a page or two on a topic completely outside of my realm of "experience" helps. I read, write, and watch horror so if I'm stuck writing a few pages of a romance type story can get things flowing for me. Of course it sucks horribly, but that's what matters. The point to the exercise is to get your mind thinking in a way it doesn't generally think. Since it is an area you don't know anything about your imagination will fuel the furnace. It's funny how when you write complete and utter nonsense how imaginative you can be. 2) Pick up an everyday object sitting on your desk and write a story about it. Like a biography. There are others but we begin to blur the line between overcoming writers block and just doing writing exercises.
Getting back on topic. Okay, I may have been a little blunt with my statement about writer's block not existing. All I'm trying to say is: If you're using writer's block as an excuse for not writing, you're simply doing yourself a disservice. So many people say that they'll write a book in their lifetime. That is, once the kids grow up; once the dog dies; once they retire; and so on and so on. Those people never write anything because they spend their life procrastinating. The same thing applies with writer's block. So many people use it as an excuse for why they can't write their novel. If they'd simply sit down behind a keyboard, relax, and let their mind go, they'd get their book written. By convincing themselves that they're suffering writer's block, they effectively are giving themselves an excuse for not writing. "I'm supposed to work out today but Jack wants me to come over." By saying this, you're now laying the blame for your missed workout at the feet of Jack, when in fact it's your own laziness that doesn't allow you to do it. See my point? Take away all the excuses, and maybe, just maybe, that novel will get written.
I usually just take a break from the project. When I return, if it's not better, then I take another break, and so on. If I don't have any inspiration I can't write, and I can't force myself to have inspiration. This is why I can go weeks/months without writing. If I don't FEEL like I need to write, I don't.
I'll tell you something that always helps me and that I believe happens with many writers - and yet they don't know it. I think writers block is not really writers block. I wonder if you actually have so much in your head that you don't know where to start. Maybe you know if you start and release the hounds - that it will be exhausting and chaotic? This might seemed far fetched - but I think that it happens. I do that sometimes and what I do is start writing about this perceived writers block I have and how in reality there is an entire site of nuggets to be excavated. Just trying to work through that first door - that gets me writing about often what was already there.
When I get stuck on one of my projects, I try to concentrate on another. Meanwhile I keep returning to my abandoned projects, and write whatever comes to mind. Even if it's just one word here and one there. That will eventually make inspiration return, and I can continue working on the abandoned project.
I hate being a fits and spurts writer. At one point, about seven months ago, I churned out 6 short stories, and a 20,000 word novella. Then I didn't write for around 3 months. Then I wrote 4 poems in two days. Then I stopped writing for another 4 months. Then I took part in NaNoWriMo 2008 and managed to reach the target, even though I'm still halfway through the plot. Fastforward to now, 2 months later, my chemotherapies/surgeries/radiations all over, and all I'm doing to assuage my writer's conscience is editing the half novel that I wrote during NaNoWriMo, when I should be working on the second half and writing other stuff as well. I just realized this recently, and its got me down. However, on the brighter side, this will probably spur me on to finish the rest of the novel before sitting down to edit as well as write some more short stories and poems. Just needed to vent my frustration, think I got over it now.
I've had difficulty writing lately, but it's not so much a "block" as it is a combination of other factors. I think after I fine-tuned and refined the first chapter of the novel I was working on to meet the expectations I grew to have of my writing, I realized that the following 9 chapters were overwhelmingly below the standards that I learned while traversing this very forum. I wrote my second chapter again entirely, and that was about all I found the energy to do. I wasn't sure where to go or what changes I needed to impliment to get back to where I was at. I became overwhelmed. I needed fresh ideas to improve my writing. The pacing, the characterization, the story, everything needed to be overhauled. So... for whatever reason I took a break that lasted way too long. For the last month I've done very little writing. I've thought about writing. I've brainstormed and I've outlined, but only yesterday did I actually start working on my novel again. If I've learned anything from the experience, it is that I need to keep writing. If I really focus my energy, there's no such thing as writer's block. I may not be very creative sometimes, but there's no physical force keeping my hands off the keyboard, and even if its unpleasant, my brain can always produce something to write. But I need to be writing. Over the last week I made the excuse that if I worked on my novel in my current misanthropic depression that I'd probably end up turning all the characters into immoral, unlikeable criminals so I'd have an excuse to kill them all off at the end. Then I realized that was a pretty bad excuse and if I actually ended up doing that, I'd probably have fun with the diversion. The bottom line is that I only feel good when I'm writing and as long as I remember that, I can keep at it.
Writers Block For the last two weeks I have been writing like a champ. I would get home from work, sit down and just write for hours. I mean, I was disappointed when I got done for the day, because there was no one to pin a medal on my chest, pat me on my back and say "You've done your country a great service, son." I was on a role, when it happened, writers block. And it wasn't like i sat down to write, and just got stuck. No, I was mid paragraph, typing along, I finished a sentence, then BAM...nothing. My hands just hung there with nothing to do. I think one one of them turned to the other and said "Dude, I think he, like, totally died!" I have no idea why one of my hands talks like a surfer, but I am fine with it. Now for the last three days, I haven't been able to get more then two sentences out. Now if they were two world changing sentences, I'd be fine with it. But no, they are just two lines in a conversation of two characters making small talk, hardly Shakespeare. And, worst of all, I am still stuck. Nothing will come. How do you guys break the cycle, how do you end writers block?
Unfortunately, I don't think there is any magical formula. It has happened to me. I thought about the story, what was going to happen next, and forced myself to write. Yesterday I was only able to write 700 words, and it felt like workd because I had to force to damn words out of my fingers. I think as long as you know what happens next you can get there.
Well, Edge, it looks like you just don't know what happens next. In addition to doing what Banzai has suggested, you could also do some story building, world building, or character building. Think of sub plots, refine your characters, or invent new places or races (if it is fantasy or something where different races dwell) in order to inspire you and give you new directions to take. Just simply thinking, "Alright, so what happens next," might help, or talk to someone about your story who is interested in similar types of stories as what you are writing. Private message ME if you have to.
I've been told to keep on writing if i get writers block even if it is crap because things only get good after the editing stage
I have to say I disagree. Case in point: What you have there is a creative idea, expressed to good effect, if I do say so myself (made me giggle, at any rate ). I'm not saying that there's a book in that, I'm just saying that maybe it's a case of running out of steam rather than the well actually being dry. You might just need to take a break from it, and (to continue the whole water/steam analogy I've got going) percolate the ideas for a while. There's a few writing exercises I pick up from time to time just to keep up the habit, and to give me a break from some of my more draining projects. Occasionally something even highly usable comes from it - they might help, especially to shift the focus from fretting about not being able to write and just having some fun with something. Take a newspaper article and cut out the words/phrases that particularly appeal. Draw them out randomly and place them in the order that they were drawn to create a weird kind of narrative and see if that jump-starts something (I once used a gardening article that contained the line simple steps to avoid a chainsaw massacre - taken out of context it was quite fun to play with.... ). Try a simple prompt (there's a bunch of sites that offer prompts, some even daily, ranging in purpose - i.e. some are designed just to get you writing for a minute or two, others prompt complete story ideas. This site also has a weekly theme-based writing challenge which you might want to check out (your story can be as short as 500 words). I have a longer list, but they're my favoured methods. Good luck with it all!
I don't believe in writer's block. I just believe in various reasons why the words can't/won't come. Only you can figure out what those exact reasons (lack of interest, lack of understanding of what happens next, lack of dedication, just plain tiredness, whatever) is the cause. You say you would write for hours a day. Maybe you just wore yourself out? I have to limit how much I write in a day, so that the next day I have someplace to pick up from, and so that I don't get too drained. Sometimes limits are a good thing. You say you haven't been able to get more than two sentences out a day. At least that's something. So what if they aren't worldchanging? I can't allow myself to write pure drek as is often advised, but I know that not every sentence that comes out of me will be utterly fantastic. Maybe you're setting your expectations too high? Stop trying to write worldchanging sentences and just focus on writing sentences, any sentences. Even if it's just dialogue. You can make it better later. Don't try to be Shakespeare. Most of us aren't anyway. I realize you were being tongue-in-cheek, but there's a glimmer of truth in your words, and I think perhaps you just need to loosen up a little and not be so hard on yourself. I believe that those who start out writing with the intention of being ABSOLUTELY STELLAR AND BRILLIANT are setting themselves up for disappointment. Just write with the intent to write. The other stuff can come later. You end by saying nothing will come, which you just proved is false, since you're at least writing two sucky sentences. That's something. Keep doing that, and keep trying to do more of that. Write four sucky sentences. Then six. Sucky writing is at least writing. Make a habit of it and it should start to return. The only way for me personally to "cure" writer's block is to just write. No matter how hard it is.
I like writing, and I have ideas for stories in my head. Normally things I'd like to flesh out for novels, but the occasional short story comes to me, as well. The problem I have these days is that I just can't bring myself to write for leisure. I'm a newspaper writer by trade, so I write anywhere between 500 and 2,000 words every day just to make a living, not to mention all the time I spend doing interviews and research, and my weird schedule that eliminates my mornings and nights and leaves me nothing but limbo time in the middle of the day - time I can only loosely consider "free." The problem is, when I get home from the morning half of my shift, I already have an assignment I have to work on, either then or later, so with that on my mind, I have a hard time bringing myself to write anything for fun. When I get home from my late shifts, I normally just want to crash in bed or do something mindless, like play video games or surf the Web. And when I do finally get motivated to do something with my story, I usually just delve into my books to get more inspiration and do more research on the topic. I just can't bring myself to type "Chapter One" and let it fly. In the middle of a busy lifestyle, especially one that requires writing by trade, how would you find the energy and motivation to write anything in your spare time? I love writing, but while fiction writing can be mentally stimulating, daily newspaper writing is mentally draining, and I spend so much time recharging my batteries that I'm afraid they've just run dry on me.
ManicHedgehog, There are some jobs/careers that draw on the same well as that required for writing fiction. If you absolutely can't write during the week, then write on the weekends and do other writing related 'stuff' during the week (such as research or editing/revising) which is a little bit different. I will say that most writers (who work full-time or more) struggle to fit writing into their schedule for various reasons. Family obligations, hobbies, other commitments all impede. Writing has to take priority and sometimes one just has to push through, even when it is difficult or one feels worn out. I don't know what your goals are, ManicHedgehog, but if you do write a novel and find a publisher for it, you'll be expected to find time to work with an editor to get it ready, all the while writing a new novel in a timely fashion, along with doing some self-promotion. So, working out the kinks and stretching the ability to fit writing related tasks into the routine now may be a good thing to attempt. Of course, writing can't be such a drain that it affects your career (where you earn your living) or possibly even your personal life and relationships. It's a balance that every writer has to face. I teach and also have a part-time job, and a family and all that goes with it. Some weeks, depending on how many essays I am reading, lessons I am preparing, and situations that come up in life, the amount of writing that gets 'done' is less. I also, for example, edit for a small ezine, which has taught me a lot, but also takes time from writing. But it is something I enjoy and something that is worth the time and effort. I guess in the end, there is not easy answer. No 'one size fits all' solution. It does, however, involve carving out a spot in life and making writing a priority on some level, for there to be progress and success. Hang in there and hope you're able to work it out. Terry
This is a nice way of explaining it.... unfortunately I find something similar being a teacher - when I get home to my own kids in the evening, I find the "interpersonal" part of my brain is tired out. Something that can help (at least a little) is spending a little time for a break doing an activity that uses a completely different part of my brain.... make sure you do something that is very different to writing before you write (playing music, some kind of sport, drink with mates down the pub, ...), and you will probably feel fresher when you start the writing. It may be worth a try, anyway...
i know how you feel. although my job does not consist of "creative writing" its a pretty tiring jobs and long and antisocial hours. so when i do get home and do have time to myself, i just feel exhausted and dont always have the time and energy for writing. however, recently i have been on night shifts at work and have found this period of time quite useful and i have produced some good writing. i try not to put too much stress on myself when it comes to writing, just make sure you have a note book and pen with you wherever you go and just write when you want to or when you get an idea.
What modivated you to write those four paragraphs? How about try that. Try to write just four paragraphs of your novel? I study parts of good books I enjoyed for inspiration. Sometimes I come here for inspiration. Once you are in the mood to write, write something even if it is only a paragraph.
Other people seem to like the work I've done since I've been going through all this. Then again the people on that site don't often give criticism even if they don't like it. So they might have hated it and just not said so.
Hi, I agree with architectus, if you have time to post on this forum, you have to time to write your novel. If you are tired and burnt out at the end of your day, that is okay, but it can't be everyday. I work full time, and in the evenings and weekends I am working away on my website. I don't like writing non-fiction, but that is what I am doing. Than on the weekends I try to work on my fun fiction. If I can find the time, you can. Right now I don't have much of a life, because I am busy building a website. But once I am done, I'll be able to have more fun again.
I like brainstorming, going for walks, working out, and just doing something else. Usually if I step away for a few days, I'm back on track. Or if I'm working out, it'll just hit me. If you try too hard it will elude you. Best to just come back another day.
I'm in the same place as of right now, I actuall prefer darker fiction so I've been chanelling a lot of that in my writing. I actually write a lot better when I'm feeling down.
Do something different. Read something different work out, sleep the wrong way in the bed. I believe all of that will help you should try it. You may think I am joking about the bed thing but I find that if dreams go stale switching my position in bed makes the more vibrant
