Writer's block, and how to break it

Well. All I have to say on the matter is (prepare yourself for some straight talking) I don't believe writer's block exists. It's an excuse for laziness. The only way to get the book (or whatever) finished, is to write it.

You're able to write posts here, so the capability to write is obviously still in you. Give yourself permission to write crap. Just get to the end. Worry about quality on the edit.

Caitlinnicnubill said:

Well, I have an interesting situation... My new place is now, for better terms an apartment setting, and the people above me are loud. I have to break my writer's block, but my old method of listening to music isn't working any more. It works for a little while, but then, I get upset about the noise. Does anyone have a suggestion about how to break my writer's block?

I have enough trouble trying to get the words down on the computer screen without writer's block.

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I write at the library every afternoon during the week. It got to the point where the librarian asked me what the hell I was doing there all the time if I wasn't checking out any books. I told her and she became one of my beta readers.

Hey. Nice idea, Prawn.

Trouble is libraries nowadays are treated like creches by people who can't be bothered looking after their own children (at least they are round here). It got worse when they bought in computers and put them in the main room where all the books are. Kids treat it like a playground. You can't get peace.

Can you afford a pair of noise-cancelling headphones?

My co-worker has a set, says they're fantastic.

scarletpeaches said:

Trouble is libraries nowadays are treated like creches by people who can't be bothered looking after their own children (at least they are round here).

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The library I use has a big sign in front of it that reads "We can't be responsible for your children."

Caitlinnicnubill have your tried talking with the landlord? Inconsiderate neighbors whether you write or not simply suck.

scarletpeaches said:

You're able to write posts here, so the capability to write is obviously still in you. Give yourself permission to write crap. Just get to the end. Worry about quality on the edit.

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Whether one agrees with the "there is no such thing as block" or no, there's definitely a difference between "I have no ideas, o poor me" and "I can't focus enough to bring coherent thoughts into existence." It doesn't sound like the OP has the real/fictional "writer's block" so much as that they're too distracted to write.

Well, I have written a grand total of 2,000 words in the past four-to-six weeks. So while I also don't believe in writer's block, I know I've got a headful of ideas, a pageful of deadlines, and jack-shit coming out.

So, Caitlin, when you figure it out, let me know.

(ETA: What JP said. Good definition.)

Guilty. I have a two and a four year old, and I take them to the library. Luckily our library is big enough that people can find quiet corners when they need to. We have a University nearby. Their library is a whole lot quieter.

On the week-end, I get up around 4:30 or 5 so I can get in a couple of hours of writing in before the kids get up. That might work for you.

P

Plan B: Eavesdrop on your neighbors. Put them in your next book.

WB

I don't believe writer's block exists, either. I think the whole notion is nonsense.

As for libraries, I've found it usually isn't difficult to make those idiotic parents either make their kids shut up, or make them all go away, if you complain loudly enough to the head librarian.

Prawn said:

...Luckily our library is big enough that people can find quiet corners when they need to...

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Can they, though? Parents often tune out the noise that irritates other people.

I really don't think just because someone can't write due to their so-called writer's block that it means they're being lazy. You can't always know what you're going to write about, and even when you do, there's always the question of HOW to write it. When I get writer's block, I like to take a walk. I might start on another story just to get my thought process flowing. Since you have loud neighbors, maybe you could go somewhere else that's quiet, for example, the library, a cafe, the park, etc. If you don't have a laptop, writing on paper is an option. I actually find I write better when I use the traditional method.

Caitlinnicnubill said:

I have enough trouble trying to get the words down on the computer screen without writer's block.

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Try something else, write longhand or talk it out, anything to get the story moving forward.

Moon Daughter said:

I really don't think just because someone can't write due to their so-called writer's block that it means they're being lazy. You can't always know what you're going to write about, and even when you do, there's always the question of HOW to write it...

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That's the key word. I don't believe I can't write. You always can, unless your hands fall off. And even then, there's feet. Or dictation. If someone talks or thinks about writing more than they write then I'm sorry, but they're being lazy. Or using displacement activities to avoid it. The only way to write a book is to...write it.

I never know what I'm going to write next; that's not the problem. It's not even a matter of faith that a story will fall into my head. It's just a matter of keeping writing until I reach the end. Just write any old thing, and tweak it on the edit.

As long as you write.

I dont' get writer's block, but sometimes I get a little stuck. That's when I interview my characters. They always let me know what really happened, so I don't have to make stuff up.

I agree with Scarlet and James-I think possibly that the term is ill-conceived-writer's fear in general is what it comes down to-note I said in general. When one writes typically it is in the form of a rough draft-stating the obvious. Therefore as has been suggested here and in many other like threads-write till your ass falls off-it was not said in this vulgar term but generally if one writes till the aforementioned falls off and it is a first draft then the so-called writers block is gone gone. If it is other than the first second third fourth etc. draft-the same applies. You write then edit-cut-paste-make tight and right-and so on and so forth. So the shorts get tight and all you do is write-it is not important that you write as even in the worst piece of drivel there is something worth saving.

Two solutions that have worked for me:

1: When the creative juices ain't flowing, I switch to research, or map drawing, or drawing floor plans of houses/hotels/schools etc. that I know are coming up in the story. I did this for 2 days straight for the last book, and all my drawings were an incredible help when the dialogue was flying onto the page. Also made me feel like I wasn't being a useless schlump.

2: I often write longhand in places where there's no electricity (read: multitudinous kids' soccer practices), and when I'm stuck, I flip back a few pages and start rewriting from the beginning of the chapter I'm stuck in. It's never copying, because I always change things, and 98% of the time, when I get to the stuck spot, the story keeps flowing.

scarletpeaches said:

Hey. Nice idea, Prawn.

Trouble is libraries nowadays are treated like creches by people who can't be bothered looking after their own children (at least they are round here). It got worse when they bought in computers and put them in the main room where all the books are. Kids treat it like a playground. You can't get peace.

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Oh, geez, you have no idea.

The library at my school. . .full of computers. And, I kid you not, there's several flat screen TVs dotting the room, all showing sports.

TVs. In a library.

A library.

For books.

Sometimes I wonder where this world is goin'.

Although I also don't believe in "writer's block" as a specific, crippling psychological condition, I also don't think it's pure laziness, either. I think it's simply hitting a period when, for whatever reason, you're unable to relate to your own writing. The only "cure" is to keep writing and review it later; in my experience, I often find that what I've written is good or salvageable, and at the least it shows me what NOT to do with a scene, which is valuable knowledge. Most importantly, it doesn't let the idea of writer's block become an issue.

However, as others have said, it doesn't sound like you have writer's block; it sounds like you now live in a writing-unfriendly environment. As someone with multiple neighbors who REALLY love playing REALLY loud salsa, believe me, I know it sucks. Things to try:

1) Play your own music so loud you can't hear theirs. This only works if (a) your entire building is loud, as it is in my case, and (b) if you can write with loud music playing, which I can't always do. But it's worth a shot and relieves a lot of frustration.

2) Find another quiet place where you can spend time and work. Only works if you have a laptop or access to another computer at that location or if you write longhand. If community libraries are too loud, you might see if there's a nearby college library you can possibly access; these tend to be much quieter (particularly if there are specific sections for sciences/law/etc.) and the probability of a nearby coffee shop for snack breaks approaches 100%.

3) As others suggested, noise-canceling headphones are a blessing. This works nearly all the time. I put mine on and listen to my own music softly while the people nearby blare their salsa, but I can't hear. (Now, when the vibration comes through the floor, there's really nothing to do but bear it.)

4) If you have a laptop or work longhand, consider going to your favorite restaurant in off hours (between, say, 2:30 and 6:30). If you eat there regularly, order a couple of coffees and aren't taking up space at a time when they need it, you might be pleasantly surprised to find out welcoming some places can be. I have found a couple of restaurants in New York that are perfectly happy to let me spend the afternoon on my laptop in the corner. (A good writing reward is to invite a friend to meet you for dinner at 7 but get there around 2:30 -- ensuring you'll put in more than 4 hours of work before the evening's socializing.) The atmosphere at a restaurant in the off-hours is usually fairly quiet, the server will be polite as long as you aren't taking up their time and your distractions will probably be limited to nearby refillings of ketchup bottles.

Hope some of this helps!

You do know that there is an entire forum here devoted to writer's block...

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=50

Just because a person isn't writing doesn't mean they're being lazy. People need to think about what it is they want to write when they're not sure. For me, even when I have writer's block and I continue to try to write it out, it only makes it worse. I sometimes need a little time away from the piece to make it all work out. I understand some of your points, but I'm still in disagreement.

Moon Daughter said:

Just because a person isn't writing doesn't mean they're being lazy. People need to think about what it is they want to write when they're not sure. For me, even when I have writer's block and I continue to try to write it out, it only makes it worse. I sometimes need a little time away from the piece to make it all work out. I understand some of your points, but I'm still in disagreement.

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I agree 100%. Sometimes I don't write just because my idea isn't fully developed. I think that some ideas need to simmer before you can even start writing them.

There are plenty of people who start writing before their idea is developed and don't get writer's block. I've never had an idea that needed to simmer before I started with it. If you wait for a story to be perfect before committing it to paper you'll be waiting a long time.

I think this touches on the outline/don't outline divide and it's funny, but I've yet to meet a Pantser who gets writer's block.

scarletpeaches said:

I think this touches on the outline/don't outline divide and it's funny, but I've yet to meet a Pantser who gets writer's block.

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I'm a Pantser, if that's a term for someone who doesn't outline. And I'm not sure if this is writer's block that I have (I think it may just be Too Full Of A Head), but I'm definitely Not Writing these days.

I don't have to let stories simmer either, generally, but I will occasionally. Sometimes because I don't have time to write it, sometimes because I'm just not interested in it yet. Usually, I either forget it (no big whoop) or something comes alongand makes it interestng.