I was wondering if anyone had any tips to get over writer's block. I'm going on three months with no ideas, and I'm starting to freak out here, lol! So, any tips? You're help is immensely appreciated! Oh, and PS; if you're going to respond by saying 'Writer's block doesn't existent, it's just an excuse for amateurs not to write' or something like that, don't even bother answering. I've been writing for ten years, and I know for a fact that this isn't true. So, anyway, thanks for your time!
Persiphone_Hellecat2008-08-10T16:31:41Z
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I am different. I don't believe in any of this take a walk, listen to music, meditate, drink, smoke pot stuff. To me, writing is a job, and it just gets done. I don't coddle myself and I don't teach others to coddle themselves. Just get to work.
This is the method I teach to students
1) Put the book aside and read - at least two books - Classics.
2) Brainstorm on paper - anything no matter how silly it sounds. Fill a notebook with ideas if you want - just come up with lots.
3) Write the ideas on file cards one per card. Sit down at a table and start shuffling them around trying to create a story from them. Keep moving them - dont be afraid for it to sound silly.
4) Make an outline from those cards when you find something interesting.
5) Try to write a very very short story from that outline. Then write several more very very short stories from the cards. See which one lends itself to a longer work
6) Start doing character studies and analysis - back to the file cards. Write down anything you know about your characters - adjectives, habits, appearance, likes and dislikes, occupation, age, anything. Look in magazines and catalogs and cut out pics that resemble the character as you see them in your mind.
7) Back to the table. Start pushing the character cards around - see who rubs who and how -- Who likes who? Who hates who? Main character to main character - then main character to secondary character - then secondary character to secondary character. This will help you come up with subplots
8) Back to your outline. Plug in the subplots.
9) Come up with a kick tail first sentece that will draw your readers into the story.
10) Start writing.
It works for my students. Just make sure you dont skip the two classics - that is the inspiration that unblocks and inspires you. If you are still blocked, move onto something else. I have about 4 books on disks - started but it just wasnt the right time to write them for me. One goes back to when my 20 yr old son was a baby. Maybe I will finish it one day, maybe not. So far the mood hasnt struck me. And it is a great idea - never been done. Im just not ready for it yet. No shame in leaving something aside.
I'm looking at 3 months myself--come November. But my reasons are simple: I'm in the middle of a housing crisis and I can't write when I'm this worried and anxious.
So--to be safe--I put all my projects and chapter postings on hold.
My characters and creations are getting an unscheduled vacation. But that in turn is making this the *worst* year for me since I started out many years ago. (In a galaxy, far, far, away.)
I can't really offer you any really *good* advice on how to beat writer's block. It's a demon that sticks with us no matter what we do.
I try to deal with mine by taking breaks as often as I can--write when I feel up to it--and then keep going till my next block.
I've been writing 20+ years myself--and I know it's never easy. You just have to deal with it the best you can.
Sometimes you need an "input" phase where you just go out and live life. Read books, go to movies, hang around with your friends, build on the stuff you know to make it into inspiration.
Sometimes it's just a form of procrastination.
You could make a time and say I must write during that time. And then force yourself. Even if all you do is write "I can't think of anything to write" still do it. You'll find that's boring after about 30 seconds and you'll start writing again.
Writer's block for three months? That's long... The movie "Stranger than fiction" cured my writer's block. After watching it I felt inspired to write.
(Ha! A movie curing writer's block...)
Now I've reached half my goal. You could also try reading new books, something different you'd never have considered reading before. Let's say you always read romance, try reading humor.
Or read other books in the same genre as your current story (or story you want to write). Go on writer's boards, see what other people are writing.
You never know when or where inspiration might strike. And when it does, WRITE. (Even if it's two A.M., trust me, you don't want to forget...)
One tip I got for mind clearing was write/type every word you can think of beginning with "a". Usually by the time you get done looking for words, your mind is off whatever else you were thinking.
The guy was hawking his book of writing exercises at a talk at a bookstore, but he also runs Harvard's Creative Writing program. His name's Bret Anthony Johnson, and I'll leave a link to the web page where his bookstore talk is located. Hope it helps.