how do you get the creative juice flowing?

atwistedmind · Nov 27, 2008

sorry if this is in the wrong place, i couldn't figure out where to put it :|
anyhow; What are some ways you get the creative juices flowing? because i feel like i should write (my brain is urging it) but i cannot for the life of me get creative enough right now. (I'm writing the same sentence over and over again; She screamed as his corpse tumbled over the edge."

Anna Magdalena · Nov 27, 2008

Write something. Even if it's total rubbish. Keep going. After a while you'll find you're making sense and firing on all cylinders. But if that doesn't work, take a break. You can't write anything if you're tired. Good luck.

eLfwriter · Nov 27, 2008

When I'm stuck, I do one of four things ...

1

Shut down everything and take the dog for a walk. This lets me articulate outloud, bumble through passages, beat stuff around in my head, and generally think. A new environment sometimes gets the juices flowing, new scenery. Plus I get some exercise and the dog is extra happy.

2

Write some generally craptastic filler in underlined italics that can be cut out later. ie; "she screamed as his corpse tumbled over the edge ... of the local Burger Joint where they had been taking a coffee break not moments before blah blah something something then she decided to get a cheeseburger since watching corpses fall over edges is hungry work and besides she now had his wallet and it wasn't like he was going to be using it yadda yadda filler can't think @_@ I could go for a cheeseburger right now ... (By now I usually come up with the next sentence and happily continue the story!

3

Pray to the writing gods to bestow their bountiful words of wisdom upon my lowly self. Sacrifice old manuscripts in hopes of gaining their favor.

4

Skip to a new scene, whatever's in your head urging you to write. A couple lines of ###'s or

will remind you to come back and finish that scene later. There isn't a rule that says you have to write from beginning to end, so skip around a little! If you're feeling the urge to write, for the sake of cake, write! Doesn't matter what -- that's what revisions are for.

Hope that helps! Good luck with the dumping of the body over the cliff thing. I hope it wasn't anyone "she" liked. ...

Gardenia31 · Nov 27, 2008

Force yourself to write as the creative juices will begin to flow, and before you know it you won't be able to stop.

RJK · Nov 27, 2008

She has five senses. What is she seeing? hearing? smelling? feeling? tasting? How does she react to those sensations? What does she do next?

Adam · Nov 27, 2008

I go for a long hot shower. Great for ideas, not so great for notebooks

Kalyke · Nov 27, 2008

I study something related. Read a book written by a master, and drool. Maybe if you decide which edge the corpse is going over you can study the landscape by looking it up on the internet. Find out stuff about corpses. Look up stuff about why people hide corpses. After you do some "research" then you come back with all sorts of new angles.

scarletpeaches · Nov 27, 2008

Start.

KTC · Nov 27, 2008

atwistedmind said:
What are some ways you get the creative juices flowing?

Write.

scarletpeaches · Nov 27, 2008

That's what I said, Messiah.

MagicMan · Nov 27, 2008

Interesting line. She screamed as his corpse tumbled over the edge.

He was already dead? ... corpse

Edge of what? ... a cliff? Is there water below pounding the side of the cliff? A building with traffic and people below?

That line begs to have a vivid description of the fall and the results. Her feeling as it plummets, the sound of the landing in her mind, the twisted knot in her stomach, the need to drop to her knees and cry? or laugh? or scream again that it's finally over?

Relax: a walk, a shower, a nice dinner or a movie.

Then back at it. Let us know the next few lines....please....please...

Smiles
Bob

The Lonely One · Nov 27, 2008

Adzmodeus said:
I go for a long hot shower. Great for ideas, not so great for notebooks

or maybe not...

http://www.riteintherain.com/

dpaterso · Nov 27, 2008

Spend a few minutes on the Seventh Sanctum website and have fun with its character and theme generators. You never know, seeing a pageful of random ideas could kick a thought loose and set you writing.

Or read a good book, and try to figure out what it's doing right.

-Derek

Mumut · Nov 27, 2008

Create a spider's web on paper with outcomes as the outer edges then work on filling in how the story got there. You'll soon decide which is the way you want to go then the next sentence will be easier.

Kalyke · Nov 27, 2008

Oh also, I think people are naturally lazy and don't want to work. You have to teach yourself to think creatively. There are some books in the library or in book stores that teach you to think more creatively-- That could help too.

HeronW · Nov 27, 2008

Write: what if... 10x and fill in for each character--make up absurd, whacky, completely awful stuff--and you'll find seeds of wonder from which to grow on.

Scribble something in a completely different vein: parody from horror, bodice-ripper schmaltz from thriller, the biography of an ant from a taut thriller. These open up the fun parts and can help give you ideas.

Have a chat with the character who's giving you problems. What do they want? With whom & where? How?

cooeedownunder · Nov 27, 2008

Don't visit AW for a while

atwistedmind · Nov 27, 2008

cooeedownunder said:
Don't visit AW for a while

you dont like me waaaahahaaaa
jk

wrinkles · Nov 27, 2008

atwistedmind said:
sorry if this is in the wrong place, i couldn't figure out where to put it :|
anyhow; What are some ways you get the creative juices flowing? because i feel like i should write (my brain is urging it) but i cannot for the life of me get creative enough right now. (I'm writing the same sentence over and over again; She screamed as his corpse tumbled over the edge."

Open up a new world with your next sentence, then still another with the next, and another with the next, until you are in a new and unexpected place. The reader will be, too.

She screamed as his corpse tumbled over the edge. It was a scream of exultation; never before had a member of her clan defeated a soldier of the Newcomoers. The crowd spread out below the stage roared for her. Her joy was tempered, though, by how inept he had been. He was so big and slow and helpless, she had cut him to pieces. Being a Sensori had helped, of course, but he hadn't known that. It wouldn't have made any difference if he had.

tehuti88 · Nov 28, 2008

Reading about the subjects I love to write about always inspires me. For example I write about mythology, and my stories have a strong psychological angle, so when I read about those subjects it really gets me excited--"Oo! I could use that in a story!" Is there any particular subject you're interested in reading or learning about, and could you work that into your writing somehow...?

You could try spending some free time with your characters, letting them talk to each other. Some interesting things could arise from that.

Then there's the old trite but true advice of...just forcing yourself to write the next sentence. Honestly, that's all I can do when I'm struggling and the next one doesn't want to come. The only way to get the next sentence written is to write it.

BlueLucario · Nov 28, 2008

Go to the bookstore...buy some good books. (It's black friday for gosh sakes.) I bought Twilight and New Moon today. It's a good idea to buy a book from a talented author. Or a books that others around you are reading. Watch movies, thrillers probably. Those are the kinds of things that worked for me.

mario_c · Nov 28, 2008

I woulda bought some DVDs but the idea of going into Best Buy on Black Friday terrifies me. An apt name, indeed. Oh well, I rented at a cool local shop instead.
But you get the idea. Get lots of stuff - books or movies or music - that relates to your current genre and eat until you're full, proverbially speaking. Give your brain room to breathe and think and explore.
One thing I do is just sit and read what I've written so far. If I haven't started, work on the Beat Sheet or write a synopsis/treatment. ETA This post describes a Beat Sheet if you're interested (log into SYW). Some people make scene cards (at least 40, is the general rule) or write bios of their MCs. Anyway, the more you sink into the world you've created the easier it'll be to type and make something worthwhile.

PS Derek, that link is a trip!

TrickyFiction · Nov 28, 2008

Shut off all the lights, close your eyes, breathe deep and think of a scene. Describe it aloud if that helps. Use music if that helps. Whatever works. The most important thing is cutting out distractions so your imagination is forced to work.

Kaylee · Nov 29, 2008

I listen to music.

Life is what happens, while you're busy making other plans. -- John Lennon

CoolinaCUP · Nov 29, 2008

Watch/read something completely ridiculous. Batman Beyond. Twilight. Something like that.

how do you get the creative juice flowing?

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