Writer's Block - Page 2 - Writers Forum

Raging_Hopeful · 12-27-2006, 10:12 PM

What I have found helpful is to go back and read some of my own stuff, whether it be new or the old crusties covered with cobwebs. Something about reattuning myself to my own writing style seems to help, though reading other people's stuff is helpful too. If nothing else, start reading some books. I get terrible headaches when I try to read books (otherwise I'd read more of them) but I have occassionaly found it helpful.

And yes, this is common common common and it too will pass. I try not to force myself because then my writing sounds well.... forced. Let it come as it will, but don't be afraid to try little snippets or maybe writing a mini-scene here and there. I have several compiled in my portfolio that I glance at from time to time.

Either way, good luck and keep writing!

Cheers,
Linz

Nightshadewizard · 12-28-2006, 11:29 PM

Carries "block" must be a common to all writers both great and small. For me there has to be some spark or release of energy to get the flow going again. This is the uncontrollable part.

In non fiction or opinion/debate all it takes is something to piss me off to bring out the knives. Then there's nothing to slow things down. You can't pull me away from the computer keyboard until finished. This is kinda what happened with "Toxics or Buxom girlfriends" over in Short Stories (hint: plug plug plug yourself)

On a fictional level I plot well or at least think I do, and people tell me my imagination is strong. However my works lag behind sometimes for years because I just can't get up and do the WORK. It seems too difficult. Especially the alliteration, flowerery sentences and scenery.

This must be what Carrie is going through. Sooner or later though something changes suddenly and the work in progress becomes "alive" again and am off and running. This is what happened to my "Amber Alert" chapter although no one has been kind enough to read it. THAT lies buried a page or two deep in "Critique & Advice" or whatever. Hell I'm good enough, why the heck do I need advice for? My shit is EXCITING man!

Anyway Carrie... What I think is that writing is a self recovery from trauma process. A healing experience. So rather than approach the mess as a CHORE try to think of the unresolved issue laying behind the writers "block".

My most recent block could have been caused by a certain tension existing in a friendship I share with fairly young college student. She has been my friend for over a year and we chat all the time. I know more about her than most her friends do. We are that close and of course this is both fun and a novelty because she is some thirty odd years my junior.

However it gets a little stressful to be good friends with a nineteen year old woman at the peak of her sexual attractiveness and still remain the dedicated father figure mentor. At a few rare times anyway. Mostly am very comfortable with the status quo. Am lucky to be the kid's friend.

So one day a couple weeks back i finally just "blurted out" in an e-mail about what a "nice rack" she has and how at rare moments i could scream about how attractive she is. Fearing for the worst afterwards (hee hee).

My good friend then just sent me a sweet return letter with a whole ton of laughing expressions and a note to "not worry about her ever having a negative reaction" to any of my rare outbursts of sensual matters etc.

And at that point not only was the spell broken but the newest pages of my story practically wrote themselves.

And next spring am going to get a "date" with my beloved friend "Anna" the buxom music major from New York State.

In all likelyhood i will probably remain in my strictest of "Concerned Parent" moods when we visit. In this role am the most comfortable talking with Anna. Something I would never want to change.

But in the written word? Am a devil...

Now the point being (other than my personal "lecherey" hee hee) is that some form of psychological TENSION was present that prevented my written words from being released. Once resolved I was freed up and easily able to continue for a time.

Right now that spree has ebbed and I'm in back in "block mode" again. Or less productive than a week or so ago. But at least this time I'm not worried about it. Sooner or later something will "Snap" into place and my keyboard will be popping like lightning once again.

Kamisama · 12-30-2006, 07:53 AM

I think we should totally create a thread that links to various threads that deal with writer's block. I see these kind of threads, a new one each time, whenever I visit the forum.

Collins · 12-30-2006, 03:28 PM

I was suffering from writers block for a long time.
I thought I was never going to... re-gain my creative flow if you will. However, I had a dream about a lovely man who I'd never met before. I completely fell in love with this character and had to think of something for him. Thats how I got over it. Hope that helped.

Magnum Opus · 12-30-2006, 03:39 PM

Inspiration from a dream, a great and unintentional way to get over writer's block.

Still I find taking a step back from the writing, and taking in all my surroundings helps a lot. Mostly because it gets rid the need to write, and it always breeds ideas however intentional or not.

Another good way I have always gotten rid of writers block is to focus on another story. Put all your efforts into that, it has always helped me long for the other story.

Or you could always go back to the thing that originally made you fall in love with the story.

mammamaia · 12-31-2006, 01:16 PM

imo, writer's block is akin to jet lag... if you don't believe it exists, it won't!... that's true for me and some others i've come across in my long writing life and extensive globetrotting...

Domenic · 12-31-2006, 03:31 PM

No, no, no. You're doing it completely wrong. Brainstorm. At night, when I have nothing better to do, and I'm tired as hell, I let my mind run wild. I usually end up think about Spyro or Dead Like Me, but aside from that, I get ingenius sparks of energy.

Just because you think you know the plot, doesn't mean you know the plot. At all. Write a summary for your story, and be very descriptive, and by summary, I mean an extensive book report. Mine was fifteen pages the least. Then, create an optional ending. Optional meaning; if the book isn't long enough, or ends in an unwanted way, you have doors left open to finish the book off.

And besides, there's no such thing as writer's block. It works the same way as nightmares. I told myself, a while ago, actually... Like when I was eight, that nightmares were simply irrational and had no meaning other than to scare me (or give me some guidance, but I won't get into that) and for about five years after that, I had no nightmares.
The same works with writer's block. I came across several slumps no more than twenty minutes ago, and I recapped the story, and I just came up with a few genius plot twists in which made the story a hell of a lot better, in more ways than just when I was blocked.

And if that sensibility didn't help you, just PM or Reply the plot, information on the characters, protagonists, villains, purposes, plans for sequels, and I'll give you shit you would never think is even possible.

As for me, I always think series-wise so I usually have many doors left open and foreshadowing for the next book.

-The Puzzlemaker

audacity · 01-01-2007, 11:33 PM

"Sometimes when I was starting a new story and I could not get it going. I would sit in front of the fire and squeeze the peel of the little oranges into the edge of the flame and watch the sputter of blue that they made. I would stand and look out over the roofs of Paris and think, 'Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.' So finally I would write one true sentence, and then go on from there. It was easy then because there was always one true sentence that I knew or had seen or had heard someone say."

That's from Hemingway, it seems to have worked for him.