I don't know what goes though my mind, I tend to space out when I write I'm sure i think of things but if you touch me or try to talk to me come out of a trance i do the same thing with reading I'll read a book for 6 hours and it wont even feel like five munits to me I'm pretty sure i think of things but i dont rember them
I agree with Mr. Blue. I was just going to say though force yourself to write. Push through the block, or set like a daily amount you will write(Even 1 page a day), and don't let anything stop you. Even if you write complete nonsense bs. Force yourself through the block, or you might be still complaining about this a year from now. You could also get a topic from somewhere online, and just go to town on it.
I find that quite interesting, I think I may try that out. But as to help the topic writer, it is obvious you have quite a case of writer's block. Mr. Blue Dot just may have the right idea to help you dig within your mind and find that lost inspiration. You will pass this issue soon, no worries. When I have writer's block, I usually allow it to pass, or I write in my blog/journal. Don't worry though, you'll get it back.
A book I’ve writing most of my life, Well I got four of them I have worked for a decade about But the main one is a fantasy I guess I also write songs and poems
I found myself in a similar situation... I stopped writing for about 8 months due to writers block. In the end I accepted it and gave up writing! A week later inspiration hit and I was writing again Sometimes I think I over think my story instead of just writing, and writers block usually occurs when there is a bit of story I don't want to write or if there is a flaw or plot hole. You gotta fix it, and get writing again. I waited it out, but I think you can force yourself in to writing. Re-write your outline, and an A4 page for each chapter. Giving yourself a little more structure can help ease grey matter congestion. Things like 'write or die' for me are utterly pointless tasks that don't help at all. Sometimes just visiting this forum inspires me. Reading more also helps. I hope I've helped too.
If you really want to finish a writing project you are going to have to just plant your butt in a chair and write. It doesn't matter if you feel like it or not, you just write. Writing breeds writing. If all you write is junk, throw it out and start over the next day. Writing is hard work, you don't get it done by waiting until you feel like it. Writing is a decision you make. No one is forcing you -- in fact no one else particularly cares if you write, or not. If you don't really care about finishing your story, or book, or whatever it is you are working on, then, by all means, stop writing if you don't feel motivated. In my opinion there is no such thing as writer's block, and the 'muse' is just something people use as an excuse. There is only the desire to write and the will to accomplish it.
I get this all the time when I get excited in writing a book. I'll map out the timeline, create a character profile, do an outline. And when it came to actually writing it, I freeze. I shelve the idea and move on, then X days or months later I get inspired again. However, I evaluated myself before I did any planning on the new idea and concept. There was something lacking in me which needed to be addressed. I read some books, and read some how-to books and a couple of grammar books. After a couple of titles, I realized that I need some practice. So I've decided to write some shorts, rewriting and evaluating them. I wanted to see how I fare with style, tone and clarity. For now, I'm working and exercising with prompts and competitions (like what we have here every 2 weeks) and with sudden inspirations. Once I feel confident, I'll get back to my concepts and hopefully flesh out a novel. Be honest with yourself and try to find out what's stopping you, freezing you. Setting a project aside doesn't mean you're giving up -- giving up happens when you stop reading up on other author's works and when you stop studying and improving your craft.
Just because you have not experienced writers block I would not say it doesn't exist. Writers block happens, that is why there is a name for it. Also I think my writers block may be seasonal ( I can't write in the winter... and this is the perfect time to stay indoors and just write, but I can't) When everyone else is out in the summer, thats when I write.
It's surprising how often I find myself in a similar rut and the short answer is that there's no short answer. Personal solutions include: - Reading works done by people you know you enjoy - Reading blurbs of books to inspire your own ideas (DIFFERENT from plagiarism, which is just copying the idea) - Starting a long-term project and force-writing whenever you get the chance. Know that you will definitely hate it, but usually out of the garbled mess of plot-holes and contradiction you emerge with at least one good direction to embark on. - Writing prompts. Personally I'm not fond of these because they have little value with regards to project completion. They're basically snacks.
Throw in a plot twist related to a character or experiment with what happens as a result. For example: a natural disaster, a death, something not going right, or anything you wouldn't be expecting.
Approach it as an art, color outside the lines, enjoy not marching in a single file, worry less about commas, worry more about creating, write chapter 312 if you are stuck on chapter 3
I agree with everything you said in this post. It's easy to overthink it and get to the point when you spend a lot of time THINKING about writing rather than actually doing it. At least that is most often the problem when I get a writers block. My current one hasn't left yet, but at least Im dealing with the part that caused me trouble to write, because that, as you said is another reason why I get them: difficult parts to write or not knowing how to deal with a certain scene or part of the plot.
I'm writing again, nothing ground breaking but fun and slightly funny as heck its amazing what you come up with at 4 am when you have a deadline and if you dont type fast enought he wrods get erased
I think you've arrived at a paradox that every writer eventually faces. However, as this is not just a shortshort or some college essay you're writing, I can't just tell you to to continue to grin and bear it. Everyone has read stories that have gone on too long, stories that could have ended at several different points, but keep going and...yeah. I worked on a story for three years and hit a wall. Truth was, it was simply time for the story to end. So my advise: consider if there truly is more to the story, perhaps a hidden depth that you've been holding back from exploring, or has the story reached its peak? Best of luck.
For years I've described myself as an aspiring writer. Years and years, in fact. Crazy how they fly by. I've always had many ideas brewing, a few basic storylines (if you'd even call them that) that I've added to over the years, others just killer ideas that haven't been fleshed out in the slightest. Some great stuff though... Anyway...it seems I can never get started. It's like I don't know how, don't know when? I don't quite know just where to begin! While I know that I can start virtually anywhere and, of course, can insert a new beginning down the road while shuffling other scenes around, it seems the beginning always haunts me as though I need it to be perfect. I was the same way with essays in highschool and university, couldn't start with the meat of the essay until I had a striking first few lines in the intro. This is what blocks me, I think. It's the same sort of thing...I just dont know how to start...
I have a lot of problem with this. For me, the only way to start is to just start writing the first word that comes to mind and run with it. Don't worry about writing anything good - you can always come back and remove the chaff. I usually find that if I do this, the first parts will be awful and then you find that your 3 or 4th paragraphs finally get into the mood and then after that you, you usually churn out some pretty good stuff. Another thing to do is to hit random keys on the keyboard until your brain gets tired of that and will force you to hit keys in an order to be legible.
I like to start with character sketches for the players in the story in my head. Who are they? What do they look like? Do they remind me of anyone in real life? Likes? Dislikes? Deep personal secrets? Anything I can think of for individual people goes in. I keep this along with my other notes for the project together, for easy reference as I come back to it. As for starting the actual writing, I just jump in wherever it seems to work and start working. Usually, the first few sentences are pure crap, or I decide that's not really the beginning after all, later.... but you have to start SOMEWHERE. Other people I know prefer to get loads of research done ahead of time, map out the whole world being created (literally or figuratively, or both), and get all the details straight. And still others will start with a plot outline. General story? What happens next? Points to follow as you go, and you fill in the blanks as you write. I do a little of all of them, but I generally first start off with sketches. Outline comes together a little at a time, as I know what happens next, while I work... and I do research as needed. In any case, something on the list above is sure to help, on some level!
This may sound harsh...not meant to though. Quit babbling on a forum and commence writing immediately. If perfection is the problem. Just have fun. No need to write the greatest novel of the century. All that's necessary is you wrote what you wanted, and you feel good about it.
I start with a bit of retrospect, it puts everything neatly in place and then just let the characters walk you through!
I agree, writing block is cured by ignoring what others will think of it if/when they will ever read it. When it happens I try to think "well, I'll go ahead finishing this anyway and then if it turns out to be crap I just don't let anyone see it, at least I had a good time while writing it", I try to see it as one of those fruitless hobbies some of us stick with even though we know it will never lead to anything, which mysteriously helps me get the inspiration and the passion back. Sometimes you just have to fool the brain to let you do whatever you wanna do.
I know what you mean about the endless possibilities that the beginning offers and it almost gives you a writers block before even getting started. Maybe start with a rough outline for the story and by developing the characters and their relations to each others, the plot... That will probably give you a lot of new ideas as well for subplots etc. do you already have a specific story in mind?
I find writers lock for my is caused by simply not knowing what comes next, I've found that in most situations it can be cured quite easily by either, rewriting my last sentence or paragraph, or having the characters ask each other the questions I have for the scene [in this case 'What now/next? ']
If you mean 'Whair should I start my story? ' I would say 'Start at the beginning' Or if that doesn't work for you I'd say 'Start how you intend to continue' [So begin an action novel with action], One of these two should fit any story. If you mean 'How do I start the writing process? ' I'd say that an outline no matter how sketchy, a setting, and a few characters are critical [So you know at least partially What happens, Whair it happens, and Who does it]
