I know what it is like to deal with writers block. I began writing a novel quite some years ago now. It began excellently and then when I got to around the middle I had lost it altogether and haven't written a word on it in a good few years. I found that a good way to get back into it is to try your hand at a rather short story. There are short story contests running at the moment and I find they are a good way of hrlping out with writers block. You could give it a go, you never know it may help a little. Torana
Perhaps take one of your characters out of your story and put him into your own life for a day. Write what your day with him or her might be like for both of you. That way, you get back into a writing habit, and you also get to know your character a bit better. That may freshen your perspective on a story that has gotten stale for you.
Oh that is a good one Cogito! Although I wouldn't ever want to do that myself. My characters are always way too agressive. I'd be hospitalised or locked up lol Hey that could work!
That is the most interesting thing I've ever heard... I think I'll actually try that. Might try Adamant's suggestion of a fairy tale rewrite as well.
I would just sit down and write absolute nonsense, whatever pops into your head. a page or two. That will get the creativity flowing. Cogito makes a good suggestions to. Take a character and place him in a situation completely outside the realm of possibility and force him to deal with it. That will, most of the time, get you to think outside the box and really focus on the true intent of your writing. I will also go back to another piece that I have written and reread it. It gets me thinking about that story and I start revising it. That gets my juices going again and I start generating ideas for the story I was working on. At least it works for me. I'm was an A D D kid so I do better with multiple ideas floating around upstairs.
Try to write some short stories first. That might help. Just keep making the next short story longer, and longer.
I've been working on a story for awhile now (I tend to have long stories) and I got writers block and haven't been able to think of anything for a week. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could do to get rid of the writers block?
Write anything. A diary entry, stream of conciousness nonsense, anything that stops that blank screen or page from staring at you. Anything that makes you form words and sentences. Maybe you could write a 'note to nobody' outlining what your story is about, who the characters are etc. This will get you thinking about your story but in a round about, non-threatening way. Maybe that'll get things flowing again- who knows?
I have found, when that block comes in the middle of a project, it often is telling me that I am trying to go the wrong direction or am not starting in the right place. Just my tuppence, Rosalinda
I stopped seeing writer's block as a problem. It is actually a part of writing and the thinking process. Your mind is trying to work out a next step. Scan through any autobiography of a great artist, inventor, explorer and you will see lots of "thinking it over" time. Often, that is when the best ideas occur, but you need to find how to find and capture ideas. I haven't really written anything all week, except a few paragraphs of "filler," (oh, and a short story). I'm in working on deciding if a scene should go one way or another. I have now gotten it to the point where I can see it happening. It took a while because this is a pivotal scene. My suggestion is to put this down-time to good use. Write a small synopsis on what you have already created. See a few steps ahead to the next scene You Know, and then find what scenes you should be focusing on. If you have absolutely no "next scene," then maybe you should try to work on "the ending." I always harp on the fact that you need to know what is at the end of your story, and the logical progression that will lead you to it. How a story ends is "the point of the story" or "what the story is about." (example, the journey of a lonely girl to find fulfillment through music). Thus, you know your start (lonely girl) and you know your end (fulfillment through music). So what logical steps would she go through to find fulfillment? When I am stuck I get out paper, draw several lines and go through the "steps" as though they were a grocery list. These steps often have other steps (I am describing an outline of course, if you can't see it). So, it is never too late to start an outline. If you sit down and list your steps, you can then look at them scene by scene, write them roughly (not paying attention to the beauty or polish) and then you have a framework to play with. Good luck! It works all the time if you want to do it.
Well It sometimes help me to have more than one story going at a time like right now I have two stories in the works and I just got an another idea last night that I'm working on. The first 2 ideas are fanfiction the 3rd is one of my original ideas.
i get writers block all the time... its just a part of the way i write. i get a quarter, or half way through a story and then i cant think of what to write next... generally i just leave it. i know that i'll have a breakthrough at some point and figure it out.. i just try not to rush it. i agree with you.. i have about 6-8 on going projects that i pick up for a while... i also write sporadically... i wrote a 50 page story in a week.. and sometimes i go for months without even adding a single sentence to one of my stories. doesn't seem to bother me... i know when the time's right i'll finish them. i find that reading over a story i haven't touched for 6 months is invigorating and generally leads to another burst of sporadic writing. just don't get to worked up about it. it'll come... use the time to relax, read a book... go out for coffee with friends... ect...
A week of writer's block? That seems like heaven. Currently, my writer's block can last from four days, to an entire month, sometimes longer. I'm not sure if there's actually a way to "stop" it, or "get over" it. You just do. In your own time. Or maybe it just takes practice..
My writer's block can last months. It all depends on the writer. Then again, I don't try to stop it or get over it because I've found when I do my writing isn't half as good as it is when it's flowing. I just wait it out and then, suddenly, ideas come to me and I go back to the story or book or whatever and everything flows. Sometimes I can write ten pages doing that. Sometimes I can write only a few. Either way, I agree with dushechka on this one. I think you get over it in your own time... and with some of us, it takes longer than others.
Mine too can last a long time. I have come to embrace this time to regroup my inital thoughts and plans for the piece. I often will overview the outline and go from there. When I force it there is no flow to my work - it's best to wait it out.
I would only believe this if a writer could prove that writing is not connected the writer's own brain and will. I think writer's block can be gotten over with by some sort of action. And this action does take practice.
I agree with you there Funny Bunny. But I have had writers block for over 12 months before. I had tried every excersice anyone could ever come up with to over come it but nothing helped. I actually find that sometimes it is best to just take a break and concentrate on something non writing related for a while. I have gone into scrap booking and other creative hobbies, even painting I find helps with writers block. Give it a go and always jot down anything that comes to mind even if it is useless. It does help.
I have a problem and I'm wondering how unique it is. Over the past several years circumstance has required me to write lots of very log and varied letters. I really trained myself how to write in the letter genre and now I'm having a damn hard time transferring those skills to fiction writing. I produced so many letters and journal entries I've literally beat my laptop to death. Not a single key still has it's markings. The real difficulty for me is not constructing paragraphs or putting together good sentences that flow into one another. It's more of a conceptual issue, plotting, character development, that kind of stuff. it continues to elude me. And so I bounce around from two-three page sketch to sketch -- this has gone on maybe a year - and never produce anything complete. Is it time I threw in the towel? What are so good sources of plot stuctures? Thanks, marc madholman23@yahoo.com
Marc, Different types of writing (journaling, short fiction, novel length, nonfiction/article), while having many similarities in what is required, do have a different skill set that needs to be brought to the forefront for each project. Sometimes it can be difficult to shift gears. I don't know what length you're shooting for with your fiction, but possibly try short stories or even flash fiction, and work up to longer works of fiction? Maybe even trying your hand at poetry for a month or two might jostle things up just enough to shake loose what you're seeking to employ. Just a couple of suggestions...Good Luck! Terry
Here is a helpful link about writers block. So I thoughtI would share it with everyone. Dealing With Writer's Block
Completely agree, try promting yourself on pictures or writing whatever comes to mind. Another hint stop writing your novel right now it is not good to force yourself to write on with writers block it will merely cause havock come back to it when you are ready. Also, I read an article once which comes to mind that tells of the major creativity killers. MSN internet in general television and certain games music and so on. Hope this helps you on your writers travels
I've got writer's block right now Just can't come up with a way to start a story and i've felt no motevation to start. I want to start writing, just can't... RRRGGGHHH!! I hate it.
That's for that Torana. I'm already beging to feel better about it just reading that. Also taken a few things away from it. Thanks again.
Glad that the link could be of help to you Lemex. I certainly found it interesting to read over. See what happens when I get bored. I search the net for random things lol
